Akashi's First Loss
by KillianAstar
Summary: Akashi meets a girl who mysteriously draws out his original personality. Focus is mainly on OC, as the two learn about one another and slowly change each others lives for the better. But how will this girl handle the truth of his dual personalities? Will Akashi find salvation from his darker self? And what twists might fate have in store for them both? AkashiXOC
1. The Birthday Gala

**Authors Note: Hello world, first time ever posting a story online. This is a project I started a long while ago, then got hooked onto other anime and forgot about, but inspiration for it had re-ignited. Anyway, this story is very OC-centric, though the plot heavily revolves around the psycho red-head we all know and love none-the-less. It also has a slow-building start, to establish the OC's and whatnot (especially this first chapter). So beware if that's up your alley or not. I cannot make promises as to how often I update due to work and other life-obligations, but I can strive for (rough estimate) once every week or two if the story is well received.**

 **As for the story, it takes place between the InterHigh Tournament and WinterCup Championships. I wrote it in a way so that, if one wishes, they can insert it as canon into the actual story. Despite it being very OC heavy, with Akashi being the only tie to KnB, there are loads of references to the show and many of its characters. Also, it's rated M due to some heavy language that will come in later chapters, and the...direction...the ending is planned to go. So…enjoy! (Feedback appreciated!)**

 ** _TL;DR- OC heavy story, slow burn, possible erratic updates, takes place between InterHigh and WinterCup, rated M for future development._**

 **Chapter 1- The Birthday Gala**

She could see him sitting near the head of the table, denoting his importance to the host of the Gala. A graceful poise could be felt from every angle he was seen from. One couldn't help but feel he exuded an aura even superior to that of the host himself. There is a palpably enormous strength within him tamed to civility. Every action he took seethed with the confidence and precision of his own uncaring pace. Slit pupils and burning red hair decorated the chiseled features of a stone-cold expression. There was an elegance to him that was not expected of a basketball player. Akashi Seijuro was truly something else, Nakayo Hayami thought to herself.

 _*A few hours earlier*_

Hayami's father, Nakayo Hiroshi, is a television executive for a famous network that holds many popular programs. Her mother, Nakayo Miori, is a Public Relations Spokeswoman for a fashion brand that sponsors his network, whom they advertise often in return. It was due to their successful positions that they, and their family, have received an invitation for a party to remain exclusive to Japan's elite socialites. It was to celebrate the birthday of the president and founder of a corporation owning numerous famed magazines in Japan.

Hayami's eldest sibling and sister, Yume, just graduated college, and is now an aspiring fashionista. Needless to say, she eagerly seized the opportunity to make an appearance. Kouta, the second eldest and the only son, was uninterested. Though he is in college to take over his father's position one day, he felt his talents lay elsewhere on the courts of the sports world, for which this gala held no significance to. If it wasn't for the sake of his father keeping up both an image and connections, he inevitably would not have agreed. Hayami is still in high school, pursuing various forms of dancing, especially classical ballet, as a professional hobby. She herself had neither benefits nor pressures upon her to go, but was more than willing to dance for fun and have a good time.

As Hiroshi berated Kouta for being stubborn and conceited, Hayami ignored the banter she was used to overhearing and asked Yume if she had a dress she could borrow. She wound up donning a unique outfit newly created, yet-to-be seen by the public. It was a sleeveless ballroom dress that shimmered brilliantly in the bright lights of her bedrooms vanity mirror. The center of the dress over Hayami's breast, abdomen and backside was white with imitation diamonds decorating the area. The white center softly blended into the golden fabric of the rest of the dress with sequins of gold glittering like light flashing over a cove of treasure. Yume slipped a pair of white opera gloves over her little sister's pale arms, then exclaimed "Annnd…DONE!" with a playful spank on Hayami's behind.

She gasped in both surprise and slight pain at her older sisters teasing, but soon stood stunned, staring in the mirror, marveling at how beautiful she looked even while holding her butt. She traced her body up with her eyes from the loose hem of her dress, seeing it tightening to hug her athletic figure in a style of provocative modesty, leading all the way to her sunlit tangerine hair styled with elegant curls. Finally meeting her own gaze, she drew in a deep breath as she peered into her own crystalline amber irises. The sequins and imitation diamonds reflected in her eyes and sparkled like a dazzling display of white-golden fireworks. Her heart bubbled with excitement so uncontainable that she began hopping up and down while happily squealing. She wanted to run outside and dance before the whole world. Yume just stood behind her and smiled proudly.

"With my help, Hayami-chan…" She embraced her little sister from behind with a hug to settle her down. "Let's find you a strapping, popular young man that'll make the night extra exciting. Nothing less for my _star sibling_!"

"Eh?! Err…" Hayami blushed, suddenly becoming shy at her unasked assistance for a male suitor.

"Yo! You know my team and I made the news the other week, right?" Kouta could be heard from the living room.

"You threw a ball into a circle, Kouta! It's hardly different from that preschool toy where you put shapes into holes!" Yume shot back, knowingly riling her younger brother up.

"HUH!? Hold up, now you listen to me…" The two sisters giggled as Kouta arrogantly tried to defend the honor of basketball, despite neither of them caring strongly for sports.

Once the Nakayo family arrived, Hayami knew she was in for quite a night. The entrance to the banquet hall gave a feeling of modern day royalty, as if Kings and Queens still existed. As soon as she and her sister stepped out, the valet and the banquet staff, initially greeting everyone, all halted what they had each been doing and turned towards the beautiful duo. Hayami bashfully locked arms with her sister as they walked into the hall. The stunning visuals and graceful atmosphere reflected the high level of creative talent that had been hired to design the room. The Nakayo sisters felt themselves become breathless at the mere sight of it all, feeling absolutely honored to have been invited to this place.

The first hour was unexpectedly overwhelming, to say the least, for Hayami. She was being passed back and forth between Yume and her parents for several introductions to strangers. The delighted reactions she received from each person were intense, but it just caused her to blush happily at the positive attention. Meanwhile, she couldn't help but compare which guys she found most interesting or attractive. She had no serious intentions behind doing it, until she found herself especially fond of one boy her age named Fujimaki Tenshin.

He was proudly introduced as the " _to-be_ valedictorian" by his doting parents. The two smiled at each other, seeing instantly that they were both in similar positions being passed around and shown off. However, as with Hayami herself, it certainly was not unwarranted. Along with his academic achievements, he had a lean build and a models face with lively blue eyes, one covered by strands of his platinum hair, all topped off with a killer smile. Even Yume gave her a suggestive nudge at the sight of him.

The screech of a microphone adjusting itself pierced through every single conversation from a series of overhead speakers, followed by an apologetic voice. All the attendants were called to sit at the tables each family was assigned to and, in Hayami's case, feign interest in the birthday man's speech. She looked back at Tenshin and smiled while waving bye, hopefully conveying her liking of him so he felt welcome to come find her after the tedium. She would find out soon enough that it worked. While gazing out into the crowd mindlessly during the speech, she just happened to make eye contact with Tenshin. It was obvious he had been checking her out. Though rather than blushing and turning away, he replied to being caught with a humble but confident smile. Hayami felt herself blush at his boldness, seeing no fear in him admitting he found her beautiful. 'A keeper' as Yume would call it.

Through small, silent gestures they joked with each other from across the room. At one point, Tenshin pretended to nod off while pointing at the birthday man, and faked dropping his head. He smacked the table to make it seem like he face-planted hard, but the echo of his antics startled numerous people at surrounding tables. It earned him a whack across his head from his mother behind him. Hayami clutched her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter as best as she could while her own family turned to her with questioning looks. They shared one last distant glance with a grin before surrendering themselves to the boredom they tried to escape. At long last, the speech had seemed to finally reach its end, until….

"Ah, but before we start our dinner tonight…"

' _Aaaaawwwww!_ ' Hayami groaned in her head.

"I would like to offer a grand congratulations to a prestigious young man, whom I've had the pleasure of knowing since he was but a child. This young man leads a team of high school sportsman, all with promising futures, and had recently competed in the InterHigh Basketball Championships. He is the first freshman in his school's history to have ever been designated the captain of their unconquered team, and he now carries the legacy of Rakuzan High on his shoulders. I dare say in this moment, that they could not have made a better choice. Congratulations on your victory, Akashi Seijuro!"

A mighty round of applause roared through the room. At the same time, someone stood up from a faraway table, faced the sitting crowds, and responded to their applause with a bow. It was a high school boy of similar age to Hayami. He wore a black vest over a white blouse with pants just as dark. His ivory skin accentuated his ruby-soaked hair and, from the distance Hayami sat at, it looked as if his eyes were of two different colors. Amidst the joyous praise, Hayami could hear her older brother, sitting next to her, scoff at the acknowledgement.

"Tch! He didn't even play…" He muttered with a condescending laugh.

"What?" Hayami blinked in surprise. "Why? How did he win then?"

" _He_ didn't." Kouta replied, putting extra emphasis on the word _he_. "He's a first-year who was made captain cuz his daddy probably bought the position for him, and now all he has to do is sit back while the 2nd and 3rd years on his team do the same hard work they've been putting in _longer than he has_ …and **_now look_** who gets all the praise and glory!"

The Akashi family is a well-known one in the world of business elites, both in Japan and internationally. Therefore, Hayami would not have been surprised if the distinguished praise was due to his prestige and status as their heir, rather than the merit of his on-court efforts. Despite having little interest in sports, the fact is her brother is the captain of a renowned college team himself. She had to admit he carried a good weight of credibility in his remarks. She knew nothing of Akashi's skills or how difficult a high school championship could be, so she had nothing to go on to disbelieve his assertion. Except that, once the attention had been actually drawn to Akashi, she found herself unable to refuse the nagging urge to glance at him repeatedly.

Each time she would take in a little more of his presence from afar. Though it's common among the rich classes to meaninglessly praise each other for the validation of being complimented by their elite peers…something genuine about this boy stood out. It was intimidating and demanded respect without asking for it. She acquiesced in that the hosts acclaim may have just been superficial back-patting after all. Deep down though, she had a gut feeling that Akashi plays a more significant role than just a rich pretty-boy on a popular team. The aura around him left no room for doubt in that.

Once the waiters cleared the tables, a dance area was opened up with a live orchestra set up on the stage where the speech was given. What had started with an older crowd quickly morphed into a younger audience as song requests poured in. The orchestra gladly showed off what they were made of when they started playing pop songs in symphonic rendition. Hayami lit up with delight and cheered as loud as she could internally. It was the point of the night she had been waiting for since arriving, and these were her favorite types of songs. She maneuvered her way through people to the edge of the dancefloor in hopes of finding Tenshin. That is until an unfamiliar voice caught her off guard, speaking to her in such an oddly casual tone.

"This is the happiest I've seen you all night, Senpai"

Hayami turned to find a boy with a young face indicative of his age being a few years younger than her, yet towering high over herself. The more she looked up at him, the more she started to recognize him. It had been over a year since she's last seen him, so he had grown quite a bit, with a man starting to fill out his boyish features. When it had finally hit her, the hopes she had for finding Tenshin were temporarily pushed aside as she wrapped her arms around the tall young man.

"TAKUMI-CHAN! My little dance partner!"

The large boy blushed brightly at Hayami's sudden forwardness.

"Uh, hmm…I-it's good to see you again too, Hayami-senpai" He clumsily embraced her, embarrassed to express how happy he was to hold her as well.

"Ah, Akiyama-kun, you've grown up!" Hiroshi commented, unintentionally startling Takumi's hands off his daughter. "Last I remember seeing you, you were barely taller than Hayami's chest."

"Uh, um…but, …I…you saw me last year…" Takumi pointed out.

Hiroshi stood awkwardly, realizing his memory was totally off, then smiled and reached up to rub Takumi's head.

"Oh, yes, yes. But those days stand out more to me because you were both so cute. You were embarrassed when your parents bragged about how well you could dance, but Hayami encouraged you to dance with her and ever since then, you and her have been dancing at every party you meet, right?"

"Yup! My little admirer, always looking up to me. Even to this day, he still calls me senpai!" Hayami clapped her hands together happily. "Oh, but you're not so little anymore, are you? Well, to me, you'll always be _my_ little dance partner!"

Takumi's face burned red at this, but managed to catch himself from stuttering any further. He mustered up his confidence, then leapt up into the air to do a fluidly flawless jump-and-spin that led into a graceful kneel. He extended his hand toward hers and raised an eyebrow in a challenging manner.

"So then, Hayami-senpai…shall we show them how it's done?"

His extravagant move had drew the attention of people around them and everyone looked on with anticipation. ' _Who is this young man that could dance so well? And just who is that beautiful girl in the golden dress whose hand he asked for?_ ' Hayami could feel questions like these being asked just from their looks, and decided to answer them all.

"Only if you can keep up, Takumi-chan."

She accepted his hand and allowed him to lead her into the dancing crowd, catching all but a glimpse of the smile he tried to hide from her.

 _'I hope his boyish grin will never change'_ She thought to herself.

A few minutes in and it became clear that Takumi had improved much since their last dance. They would glide and spin in unison to the music, and Hayami would feel even more eyes turn onto them. Deep inside, she was hoping that Tenshin could see her and was watching, wishing to impress the model-faced, "to-be" valedictorian. Compliments of her beauty and refinement echoed in whispers around her. This was her forte after all, and she was going to shine in it.

"I see you've gotten better, Takumi-chan"

"Oooh, you haven't seen nuthin' yet." He replied with a childish smile again.

Years of tiring effort and sweaty practice were awarded once again with applauds from the surrounding crowd. She was happy that Takumi could match her ever-increasing vigor. In the flash of a moment, she recognized the heart-throbbing smile underneath a set of blue eyes and platinum hair facing her in admiration. To this she could feel a smile helplessly break apart the professional façade she was so used to keeping.

"Glad I can keep up? I never forgot how _much_ you _reeeally_ love dancing!"

She looked up at him and giggled in response, feeling as if her soul itself was sparkling with light. Using his height to his advantage, he held her hand above her head and allowed her to do one of her famous ballet twirls. The faces around them blurred into an inseparable wall of eyes and mouths, all glued to the dancing pair in awe and gasping in amazement. However, in the middle of her spin, amidst the blurry faces, one face stood out from the rest in stark contrast. Their eyes met by chance, through a break in the crowd, but his demanding presence snapped her focus to him. Time was forced to slow down and move at his own pace, as with everything else he graced with his attention. His mouth betrayed no hints of thoughts or emotions, and his bi-colored eyes held a gaze too overwhelming to read. She was caught off guard by the split-second exchange and lost her balance while on the ball of her foot.

 **"AHH!"**

With a quick shriek she slipped out of Takumi's hands and fell onto the floor, much to her embarrassment. Takumi knelt immediately to assist her up while everyone gathered closer in concern. The blood rushing to Hayami's cheeks boiled at a searing temperature with all these people closing in.

"A-are you ok Hayami!?" He asked in a panic, forgetting the formality of senpai, as she was finally brought to her feet.

"Yes, I'm fine" She assured him, seeing him anxiously taking the blame for her fall. She wanted to reassure him, but got distracted though when an older woman placed her hand on her shoulder.

"My dear, you were dancing so beautifully! But on that last spin your body moved faster than your head. What were you looking at?"

"I…uh…" The burning in her cheeks, a clear indicator of her awkwardness, now exploded across her face.

 _'Something distracted me…say that! But what? What distracted me?'_ Hayami quickly scanned her surroundings mid-thought _. 'What could have possibly distracted me!?'_ She panicked in her head. _'No way am I gonna tell them that looking at Akashi made me fall! It's so embarrass-'_

Just then, the voice of her brother peaked above all other conversations for a moment, and conveniently was located in the area her balance-losing glance was directed.

"My brother…distracted me. I…I thought he was making fun of me." She stated clearly but with poor certainty, covering her stutters with seemingly intentional pauses.

The elder couples around her chuckled light-heartedly and seemed to return to their business. She sighed and looked up at Takumi, only to meet a worried gaze.

"I'm sooo sorry, Hayami-senpai! I didn't mean to drop you like that!" He immediately apologized with his hands clasped together, praying for forgiveness.

"Takumi-chan, you did nothing wrong. It was all me…" She cringed with shame when she admitted that out loud. "I assure you, you were doing just fine."

His look of shock finally melted into an empathetic laughter.

"Ok, ok. I get it" He agreed. "Let me get you a drink. You must be thirsty after all that."

Hayami's mind was too scattered to deny his offer so she gave a small nod in return. She exhaled and turned around to where her brother was. He was surrounded by people of college and high school ages, plus a few adults. Definitely all fans of basketball. Just as she enjoyed to show off and be recognized for her dancing, Kouta enjoyed basking in the recognition of his basketball skills…though unlike Hayami, he had no shame in his overconfident gloating. Unfortunately, with the long line of victories and trophies he has worked for since childhood, his over-confidence isn't undeserved, making his ego even harder to tame. As she stared in his direction, the topic of their conversation reached her ears. As if it just wouldn't leave her alone.

"It wouldn't be fair" She could hear Kouta brag. "Akashi-kun is a first year in high school. Yes they call him a prodigy, but that kind of status is relative. If a child can effortlessly run 100 yards in record time, is he not a prodigy among all children athletes throughout Japan? Yet how well do you suppose that child will fair against a talented man who has been doing the same thing but much longer? It would be utterly unfair! Perhaps one day, in decades to come, the young Akashi heir will surpass me…but it is wishful foolishness to think that he stands a chance against a more experienced player. _And I'm considering_ whatever record he's achieved."

Although most of his listeners agreed with him, at least outwardly, Hayami rolled her eyes in response. This was a braggart's tirade she had heard many times over the years. To him, anyone could be beaten if the right cards were played. Since childhood, he would watch professional NBA matches from America and develop theoretical strategies he would implement to defeat even the most highly regarded players. After years of inflating his ego from the praise of his methods for victory, he developed a superiority complex which amounts to: "If you breathe and walk the same way I do, then I know I can beat you."

Even in the event of a loss he endured, he always had a limitless pool of excuses to pull from. Whatever was needed to fool himself into maintaining his supreme status, in his own mind, he was sure to have. It was the drive behind this mentality that landed him the position of Captain, after all. Unfortunately, it made him arrogant and even discouraging to younger players whom he subconsciously deemed as potential threats to himself. As if he couldn't handle the fact that some people may be born with talents greater than his own skills. Hayami herself wasn't even sure when this hard reality of life became one he weasels around with a steel-hard conviction.

Once Kouta was finished with his speech, he turned his head to a specific area, followed by the rest of his fans. She followed their eyes too and, sure enough, there was Akashi. He was standing with his father as the birthday man spoke to them both. Though his back was almost fully turned, the edge of a smile was visible from the angle which she looked at him. His father put a hand on his son's shoulder and made a remark, presumably an expression of pride. The host followed by placing his hands under Akashi's jawline and tilted his head upwards like he was inspecting the face of a DaVinci sculpture. When Akashi spoke, despite the distance between them, she could still feel the palpable confidence drip off the visible corner of his mouth. The effects of such strong qualities bared up close were as clear as day on the birthday hosts face. He was so impressed with the young man that he found himself helplessly chuckling in subconscious futility.

"My my, Akashi-kun is quite the talk of the town, eh?" Hayami overheard a ladies familiar voice, the one that asked what made her fall. She turned to see that it was her mother the lady was conversing with. A simple thought popped into her mind, and before she had a chance to question why she cared, her mouth moved on its own.

"Um…" She spoke up, getting the attention of the lady and Miori. _'No turning back now.'_ "Are the Akashi family related to the host?"

"No, but I do know that he is an enthusiastic sponsor of the Akashi business. That is why they were sat so close to him." She explained.

"Is that so?" Hayami replied with an empty air to her voice. _'Seriously, why am I so curious about it?'_

"I do believe he's single!" The ladies voice brought Hayami back to the present.

"Huh?" Her words sunk in. " **No…** " and she blushed again. "I wasn't…"

Hayami stuttered nervously as the lady lowered herself eye level with a mischievous smirk. Miori just laughed as the lady teased her, but it helped Hayami brush it off.

"It's not like that, really Miss. But…" She thought carefully before picking her words. "Don't you think there's something rather mysterious about Akashi-kun?"

"Heterochromia Iridum." She answered.

"Huh?" Hayami had not the slightest idea of what the heck she said.

"It is a harmless condition where a person has two separately colored eyes."

Hayami wanted to roll hers in reply.

"That's….not what I meant." She mumbled, slightly irritated.

Seeing that she wasn't going to change this ladies conviction, she decided to bail altogether.

"Well, I'm going to find Taku…I mean, Akiyama-kun. He's probably waiting for me with my drink." She said this, but her true intentions were to break away from the crowded area and look for Tenshin.

The lady suddenly perked her head up and looked intently in another direction. Just as Hayami was going to use that moment to sneak away, a thrilling smile lit up her face, immediately covered by her hand in disbelief. Miori did the same thing too. Hayami curiously held her position, until she heard Yume's distinct voice cheerfully call her out with her infamous playful tone.

"Hayami-chan! There is a lovely young man here who would love to meet your acquaintance!"


	2. Absolute Arrogance

**Chapter 2- Absolute Arrogance**

 _*A few minutes earlier*_

He felt his father's hand rest on his shoulder as he was spoken of in pride.

"I can assure you, Ryuunoske-kun, what Seijuro says are not mere words. They are affirmations. And one day all of Japan, as will the rest of the world, shall be marked with their supreme influence."

The man's tone of voice did not sound as if he was referring to his child. There was a peculiar edge to it, implying pride towards himself rather than his son. As if he felt accomplished by molding a human being successfully to his liking.

"Ah, my boy!" Hamasaki Ryuunoske, the spoiled old geezer, reached out and turned the young man's face upwards to his, as if appreciating a treasure. "Someday the world will see what a great man your father has raised you to be."

Akashi smiled in confirmation.

"But of course, there exists no challenge I cannot pass. Difficulty is but an obstacle that refines my strategy and hardens my will. Any test I encounter, will confirm my aptitude. Any trial I endure, I will emerge from more formidable than before. The world may throw its worst at me, but over the strongest foe in any field, I will not only win…but rise as the _absolute_."

Ryuunoske laughed in astonishment.

"Masaomi-kun, I love your boy!"

The two elder men engaged in meaningless conversation, which left little room for Akashi to entertain himself. To prevent the disinterest becoming obvious on his face, he averted his eyes from the shallow plutocrat. He looked around the room only to see multiple copies of the same personality in various forms. Naturally, due to this, anyone who wasn't a clone of a clone would stand out prominently and draw in any wandering eyes. This is how the presence of an exceptionally beautiful woman had captured Akashi's attention. She was wearing a shining sky-blue fishtail gown that shimmered like polished sapphire stones. There was an opening that split up to the middle of her left thigh with sequins and imitation diamonds decorated upon it in mesmerizing patterns. Tossed over her bare shoulders was a silver shawl that drew attention to a pristine face accentuated by its makeup.

Akashi had found her quite beautiful indeed. However, such human beauty is hardly a rarity in these kinds of occasions. Thus, her beauty alone wasn't enough to maintain even his gaze. Rather instead, it was the tangerine shade of her styled hair and the sunlight yellow of her eyes that made her irresistible to turn away from. These two features had struck a chord in Akashi, one that he didn't know existed or since when.

' _She looks…familiar?'_ He thought deeply to himself.

As if feeling yet another man's gaze on her, the women had shifted her eyes and looked Akashi right into his own. The realization flashed in his mind like a firecracker. The look she gave him perfectly overlapped with the face of the dancer he had made eye contact with earlier. The one who not-so-coincidentally slipped immediately after.

' _Her mother? Sister? Most likely the latter, if her looks don't betray her age.'_ He thought to himself in a moment shorter than a second.

The internal revelations he experienced revealed themselves subtly on his face. He had managed to answer his curiosity, giving him a triumphant feeling, but the answer itself brought a sense of embarrassment. A mix between these feelings created a facial reaction that was easily mistakable for something else entirely. Since it occurred as soon as he made eye contact with her, it was hardly an unreasonable assumption.

' _You think I'm hot, don't you?'_ Yume thought to herself, seeing Akashi's face blush with a small grin lifting the corner of his mouth.

A fun little thought popped into her mind, and she immediately excused herself from the group around her. Neither of them broke eye contact as she strut over to the two men and the famous teenager.

' _Well hot shot, if you think I'm pretty… Just wait til you meet my sister!'_ A fiendish, almost predatory smile spread across her face. _'In fact, she's just about your age!'_

Akashi was the only one unfazed when a beautiful woman had suddenly interrupted his father and Ryuunoske's conversation.

"Eehhh? So this is _the_ Akashi Seijuro? What a _handsome_ young man!" She flirtatiously teased, honing in on him like a missile and taking him by his upper arm. Akashi felt her slyly gripping his biceps.

' _Th-this woman!'_ He blushed while tensing up, having never experienced such forwardness from a gorgeous older woman.

His father grinned at her compliment, giving a rare warmth to his cold aura.

"He looks much like his mother, after all." His words were accompanied by an unusual softness.

It clearly caught Akashi's attention. His wary eyes broke away from Yume's to look up at his father with incredulous surprise.

"Ah, and you must be Hiroshi-kun's lovely daughter, Yume-chan!" Ryuunoske chimed in, before she could think any further about the boy's peculiar reaction. "I see you're promoting your fashionable talents, as fabulous as always my dear. You're quite the effective advertisement yourself! So…do I get a birthday kiss from the beautiful Yume-chan?"

' _Truly, the king among all sleazy opportunists here, this man is'._ Akashi thought to himself, before he was yanked by his arm to the woman's side.

"Oh, I can't do that, Mr. Hamasaki, I have a boyfriend!" She lied before returning her mischievous innocence-feigning smile to the young man in her grasp. "Anyway, Akashi-kun! There is a lovely young lady who I'm sure would love to meet your acquaintance!"

' _Nee-san, what the hell did you_ _ **do!**_ _'_ Hayami screamed in her head.

The crowd behind her sister split evenly as she made her way through. Countless sets of eyes turned to Hayami and the invisible pressure of their attention weighed heavily. If she were dancing, it would be drastically different. She enjoyed basking in the awe and wonder of the inimitable skills she's developed…but this, however…

"Hayami-chan! There is a lovely young man here who would love to meet your acquaintance!"

Yume stepped aside and revealed Hayami's current worst fear. Underneath his blazing red hair, a polite mask covered an otherwise emotionless face. Though, once his eyes had met hers, there was flickering shift in his expression, only ever-so slightly. This detail, although hardly noticeable, sparked a glint of curiosity toward the seemingly uninterested boy.

"Ah, the graceful dancer from earlier." He bowed to her.

His words hit her like an electric jolt.

"Graceful?" She helplessly said out loud. ' _Ha! Now were talking!_ ' She thought to herself, half-jokingly.

Yume introduced them to each other, and bragged to Akashi about her younger sister. As she spoke with him, Hayami pondered how she hadn't noticed him sooner when he exudes such a powerful presence. She still refused to end the night without finding Tenshin once more, but the more she looked at Akashi, he grew on her. He was just few inches taller than her, and was visibly fit from both his stance and posture. Of course, it would still be a deal breaker for her if he was as haughty and pompous as many of the other teens here tended to be. This, however, could only be inferred through actual conversation.

"Well now, I'll leave the two of you to better know one another" On cue, Yume departed along with Miori and her new lady friend. Hayami sighed internally.

' _Time to make the best of a random, awkward, and a_ _ **kind of**_ _forced meeting._ ' She reluctantly thought.

"So…Akashi-kun-" He raised his hand up to her with an ease-putting smile.

"There's no need to be tense. Before the night was over, I had planned to come and meet your acquaintance. As your sister put it." He cut her off, sensing her nervousness.

"Oh." She blinked in surprise. "…Why?"

He closed his eyes and chuckled to himself. When he opened them and looked back at her, there was something slightly different about him. Something subtle from just a few seconds earlier.

"To compliment you on your dancing."

Her attempt at pin pointing what exactly had changed came to a sudden halt.

"Really?" She replied happily, and he simply nodded.

She fixed her posture from the willingness to leave and faced him with newfound curiosity.

"Your sister had told me you are quite gifted in this art. I had witnessed your performance from earlier and I agree with her opinion."

Hayami had a short flashback of their silent exchange that landed her on the floor, then chuckled light-heartedly.

"I'm sorry, I'm just surprised that a basketball player would…be so interested in dancing. I'm curious, what is it exactly that captures your eye?"

' _HIS EYE!'_ Finally she had noticed what was off about him. His oddly colored eye, which stood out in its prominent saffron shade, now had a strong tint of red to it. The ladies words repeated themselves mentally, "Heterochromia Iridum", emphasizing the stark contrast of the image of his iris's in her mind. His eye was definitely of a different shade than it had been.

"Beyond the simplicity of the waltz, I have virtually no experience in dancing." As he spoke, her focus shifted from the physical state of his eyes, to the emotion within them. "I believe it is human nature to be drawn to sensations we have yet to understand, though I simply have never had the time to treat myself to it. Watching you though, Nakayo-san, I will admit was an alluring spectacle. Your coordination is sophisticated, and combined with your dexterity, it really draws out the enticing art of movement. An appreciated talent as ancient as culture itself."

" **Wow**." Impressed, and somewhat touched by his words, Hayami smiled with a joyous shine in her eyes. "Thank you! I've never received such a profound compliment, Akashi-kun!"

"Oh, well, it's just my opinion" He modestly tried to downplay his impact. "So, I assume you have danced most of your life?"

"Yes, that's true. When I was a child, I wanted to learn various types of dances and over the years grew fond of ballet in particular. I am indeed proud, and perhaps daring enough, to say I have reached a notably proficient level of skill!" She happily bragged, attempting to match the upraised status of the young man who was personally recognized by the gala host.

Akashi gave a genuine smile in response, one that touched his eyes and expressed heartfelt depth in one simple look.

"I sincerely agree, and yet I doubt I've seen the best that you can do"

"Oh, hardly!" She confirmed, starting to take a liking to him.

"Do you outdo your sister?" He asked challengingly, and even with a gentle edge of flirting.

"Well, of course! I'm the only dancer in my family. Unless you want to count when I was younger, my parents forced my older brother to help 'his little sister' practice."

Akashi let out a husky chuckle at the image painted by those words.

"Was he as graceful and enthralling as you?" He teased.

"Nope, not even close." As they both shared a laugh, any awkwardness initially felt had melted away in the warmth of their rapport.

' _He's kind, he's not pretentious… which is disappointing how typical that is among these types. He's definitely intelligent, and might I say quite eloquent as well. And amazing at sports? Not to mention good-looking. Maybe not like Tenshin, but I can't shake this feeling of… something powerful and mysterious about him. There's something special about this guy, I can feel it!'_ Hayami thought to herself, before recalling something else to add to their conversation.

"Oh, but my brother _does_ play basketball. Which reminds me by the way…" She cleared her throat and turned her whole body to him, hoping to return a compliment as meaningful to him as he had to her. "Congratulations on winning the Summer Championships! My brother told me how prestigious those competitions are. I may not know much about sports, but I sure know that winning first place is an amazing feat!"

"Yeah, well…" Akashi averted his eyes and scratched his head, seemingly embarrassed. " _I didn't_ …actually play. So it's not like such an honorable mention before this aristocratic crowd was warranted through merit. However, Mr. Hamasaki is a close acquaintance of my father and a supporting sponsor to our business. I guess he wished to show his respects to my family is all." He explained with a line of shame running through his voice.

' _And he's humble!'_ She happily thought to herself.

"Anyway, will we be privileged enough to witness another gracious show before the nights end?" He asked this with sincerity, but Hayami received a faint feeling that he was purposely trying to switch topics. Her sudden excitement, however, blocked any further thought into it.

"Heh, well well, how close do you want to watch exactly?" She replied with a beaming smile.

Akashi blinked in confusion for a second before he caught on.

"Wait…do you mean…" He was obviously caught off guard by her invitation.

"Yeah! Come on, dance with me!"

Akashi's expression was not what Hayami expected. She anticipated him accepting with the same smooth and refined manner he spoke with, but rather instead…he flinched. It was odd and unexpected, as if he just suddenly gained awareness of his surroundings.

"I…I don't know...if" He stuttered unsurely at first, then he turned away from her and looked down, his body language giving off a stronger sense of shame.

'… _Is he embarrassed because he doesn't know how to dance?'_ Hayami thought _. 'But he doesn't seem like the type to shy away so easily. Oh well, we're all entitled to a few insecurities here and there!'_

Hayami was about to speak up to reassure him, until she noticed his fist clenching tightly. The blood drained from his knuckles through the force he squeezed with. When she looked back up to his face, despite it being downcast, she could see his eyes burning with the despair of a nefarious struggle.

"Akashi…" Her voice trailed off unnoticed.

' _Did…Did I say something wrong? Is he really this nervous about it?'_ She frantically thought.

Hayami shook her head and put on the same bright smile to try and calm him.

"Hey, there's no need to be embarrassed, or nervous even!" She spoke with a bubbly tone of voice, hoping to encourage him. "C'mon, if you'd like, I can teach you a tip or two!" His face snapped right back to hers.

" **No**." He said with blunt immediacy and a suddenly commanding tone, sending a chill down her spine. "Don't be mistaken, I was genuinely impressed with your skills, but I spoke objectively of your skills alone. I have no use for such, and if I did, it would end like everything else I dedicate myself too: with total mastery. Besides, to what end do efforts without an attainable victory achieve? An endeavor free of conquest advances nothing. It's vain."

She stared back, mouth agape and going dry, holding her gaze on a pair of eyes drastically different in color.

Hayami hadn't truly appreciated how calm and chivalrous the atmosphere around Akashi had actually been until now. His demeanor had completely changed, radiating the intimidating, dictatorial presence she initially felt upon first seeing him across the room. Innumerable subtleties overwhelmed her senses all of a sudden, adding up to something terribly off. The inexplicable rush of these feelings involuntarily showed themselves, without control or hesitance, on her face.

"It seems I have offended you. I apologize, but it's perhaps best if we cut our meeting off here, Nakayo-san. I have many affluent individuals my father is waiting to introduce me to, and it is important I cater to them. So if you will excuse me." Akashi bowed, abruptly turned around and began to leave.

"Wait!" Hayami yelled and, with the angry intention of demanding to know what his problem is, reached out and gripped his wrist collar.

He turned his head half way around and looked at her over his shoulder. It was unintentional, but she couldn't help but feel serious fear when she found herself under the stare of his algid eyes.

"I-I'm sorry!" She urgently exclaimed _. 'Why am_ _ **I**_ _apologizing?'_ She thought quickly. "I didn't mean to offend you _,_ either _."_ She released his wrist.

"Good. Then we can part on a fair note and a mutual understanding. Enjoy your night, Nakayo-san." Once again, Akashi proceeded away into the midst of the crowd and disappeared into the horde of people.

'… _.WHAT THE HELL?! FUCKING ASSHOLE!'_ Hayami thought as she stood alone and utterly baffled. Her confounded face dissolved into a suspicious stare in the direction he exited. _'He's hiding something. This has got to be some defense mechanism he's put up, but for what? He wouldn't act so rude just because he's too scared to dance, would he?'_

"Psh, pussy" She whispered angrily to herself.

Though this was the easy conclusion to jump to, her intuition dictated something deeper entirely. Feeling momentarily defeated, she started making her way back to her table, unable to stop repeating Akashi's words over in her mind.

' _Efforts without victory? Endeavors free of conquest? What's wrong with doing something because_ _ **you enjoy it**_ _?_ ' She squeezed her hands into fists and unconsciously began stomping as she walked.

"That guy is such a HYPOCRITE!" She scolded a little louder under her breath, until she realized...

He did not contradict his own words at all. He had expressed his admiration for her dancing earlier and still admitted to it, just within a terribly rude context the second time around. Hayami felt hurt and betrayed by it though, having become fond of Akashi's personality while being moved deeply through his compliments. Now each of those have turned onto her like a poisonous gift. Naturally, she wanted to face him again and figure out what his deal is, even if it meant forcing out the answer…however…

' _Why such a drastic change in attitude… that bothers me more than anything. Just…why? What for? He was so wonderful before. I would have never imagined he could flip so easily. I don't understand…_ _ **it just doesn't make sense!**_ ' Hayami could not fathom any reasonable logic behind Akashi's irrational behavior. There wasn't a single indication anywhere of anything that would have warranted his reaction. She palmed the side of her forehead and grabbed a handful of her hair as her thoughts disarrayed into intangible nonsense. A pure reflection of the situation she didn't ask or intend to be a part of.

"Um…Senpai? I have your drink."

"Huh?"

Hayami turned up to Takumi, her face lost in empty thoughts. Takumi gave a sheepish smile and jiggled the icy drink in his hand to jog her memory.

"Oh! Yes, I forgot about that, thank you, Takumi-chan." She accepted the drink and finished half of it in one prolonged sip.

"I must say, Nakayo-san, I never figured you the type to have a drinking problem!" A familiar voice spoke from behind.

Hayami turned around and was momentarily stunned to find Tenshin standing there. The bubbling anticipation she had been feeling all night was absolutely gone now. After her little fiasco, the only thing she felt now was just relief. Her scorn for Akashi only increased because of this, for his having ruined what she was originally so eager for.

"Fujimaki-kun…"

"Ah please, if you will, call me Tenshin. I've been accepted into a university in America, so I'm trying to get used to being addressed by my first name. I have many people here doing the same. Of course, if you're not comfortable, that is perfectly acceptable. I don't wish to burden you with such an awkward request."

Hayami was initially taken back, due to the amount of personal intimacy it takes for people in Japan to refer to each other by first name. However, deciding to engage in some culture play, she smiled and allowed his friendly nature to spread her sense of relief further within her.

"No, it's ok. It's better to overcome the awkwardness of it now, so I'll happily help out however I can... _Teeen-shiiiin_." She smiled mischievously, feeling a lot like Yume in that moment.

' _Already accepted into an American university, and he's not even a third year yet? This guy really is a prodigy. I should take my ballet practice up a few notches, and maybe I can get a scholarship for it in a college too._ ' Hayami thought, then a fleeting memory of Akashi's gentle yet eloquent image popped in her mind. ' _Hmm, I wonder though. I'm sure Akashi has something impressive planned too. Someone as talented as…_ _ **WAIT**_ _!"_

The fictional gears in her head screeched loudly to a violent halt. Her sense of relief was zapped out of her and the irritation from earlier returned with a blood-thirsty vengeance.

" **AH!** Nakayo-san, like I said…if it's too awkward, you don't have to. I completely understand, there's no need for you to suffer the culture shock as well." Tenshin rushed the words out, trying to reassure her, seeing her face correlate with her feelings.

" **No no** , it's not that. I just…remembered something…extremely unpleasant." She pressed her fingers against her right temple and shook her head.

Tenshin smiled and extended his hand out towards Hayami. She looked up at him somewhat puzzled, to which he laughed in reply.

"Then may I have a dance with you? I'll take your mind off any unpleasantness. Though I may not be as great as your young partner here…" He reached up and placed his hand on Takumi's shoulder. "But I think I can keep up! Just go easy on me."

She straightened up excitedly with a brilliant smile.

"Oh, don't you worry, I'll _keep you up with me_ at every step!"

Hayami felt like punching the wall as hard as she could. Her excitement and happiness were all a facade. She was feigning enthusiasm to compensate for the frustration sinking deeper into her. At the start of the night, Tenshin asking her to dance would have made her joy contagiously blissful. Now, however, it was just an excuse for her mind to divert its attention. Therein laid the issue, because the more she hugged onto this distraction, the stronger that nagging reminder of what she was avoiding grew on her.

She barely even noticed the music playing, let alone the countless people surrounding her engaged in non-stop motion. She hated to admit it, but she wanted Akashi to see her right now. She wanted him to feel jealous at how much fun she was having with Tenshin. She wanted him to see that his rude remarks held no effect on her…despite the total opposite being true. However, being absorbed into the crowd's center made such a thing nearly impossible. She then pulled Tenshin towards the outside and they continued as they were, and that's when Hayami finally saw him.

Akashi was speaking to a group of adults and all it took was a simple shift in his line of sight and he could then see her. She faced Tenshin and stepped up to a pace too vigorous for him to comfortably handle. Every now and then, she would peek in Akashi's direction to see if he had noticed her exaggerated display of fun. Unfortunately, she eventually realized that she was looking at him more than she hoped _he_ would at her. In fact, he had yet to realize that Hayami was basically a few meters away from him.

' _This freaking guy_ …' She hissed in her mind.

"Ow…um, Nakayo-san, you're squeezing my hands. _**Really hard**_ _actually_." Tenshin nervously informed her.

"Huh?" She looked at his fingers bunched together tightly in between her hands and released them at once. "Ah! I'm so sorry Fujimaki-kun…I mean, Tenshin! Gosh, I, ah…" Now she felt angry AND embarrassed. Tenshin placed both his hands on her shoulders.

"It's ok, it's ok! No worries!" He tried to reassure her, but then expressed a more concerned tone of voice. "Say, Nakayo-san…are you mad at Akashi-kun?"

At that moment, the song in the background had crested in a harmony of violins and came to a sudden pause before resuming slowly. In those few seconds, Hayami was startled speechlessly.

"H-how…How do you kn…I mean, what makes you say that?"

"Well, you seemed bothered since we met again, and increasingly so from then on. Now, I have no way to prove that it started after you and Akashi-kun parted ways…but one glance in the direction you keep looking and…" Tenshin turned his head and there stood Akashi, still oblivious to them both.

Having been forced into a crossroad, she had to decide. Should she take advantage of Tenshin's intellect and run down the situation? See if he had any valuable insight to provide an understanding for what's going on? Though, a simple run down most likely wouldn't suffice. The situation was complicated as it was, and not even Hayami was sure how to express exactly what was going on. Then again, she could just put her business with Akashi behind her. She could conclude that he is an insecure jerk with emotional issues and isn't worthy of her attention or time. After all, Tenshin had so much going for him. But, in the end, she found herself unable to deny a strong, unexplainable driving force deep within her. In order to satiate it, she would need a straight answer from Akashi at all costs.

"I'm sorry, Tenshin, but I…have some business I simply can ignore no longer" and with that, she left him; her disrespectful hastiness lost on her under a mass of thoughts funneled into a single conviction.

' _He has nothing to do with this, so I'll face this on my own. There's no need to rely on anyone else anyway'_ she thought.

A group of elder gentlemen were gathered around one speaking, with Akashi watching analytically. Hayami politely closed in on them and allowed her presence to be known, her youth and beauty easily attracting their attention.

"Please excuse me, I hope I'm not interrupting" She spoke with the demure finesse she had honed over the years from meeting deluxe socialites at her parent's side.

"Not at all, young lady! What can we do for you?" One asked.

"Oh if you don't mind, Akashi-kun…" she singled him out of the crowd with her eyes and, despite him meeting her gaze with a cautioning glare, spoke with a firm voice. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

He nodded once and proceeded to walk past her and towards a moderately isolated area. She followed closely behind him before he abruptly stopped and spun around. The unreadable and emotionless void in his eyes were like a dark abyss to stare into.

"Do you actually _have_ anything to say?" He asked.

"Yes! What was your problem earlier?" She demanded to know.

"Problem? I have none. It's as I stated, you have talent in what you do but it fails to carry anything meaningful into the world beyond mindless entertainment. And I care not for things that waste my time."

' _He's like a completely different person_!' Hayami thought this and felt like crying. Not only was her first impression of him horrendously off, and that her life-long efforts were being rendered pointless…but he was just being outright _mean_.

Something was not right here. Deep in her heart, she felt the right thing to do was bid farewell at this moment and leave him be. All the fibers in her being were charged, ready to turn and strut away to show she would not tolerate such rude arrogance. Then again…

Why did he say, with sincerity, he planned to meet her before the night had ended? What was with the sweet and poetic side she had seen of him earlier? And what was it about dancing with her that made him so angry? Just then, the music in the background ended and a round of applause ensued.

"They are good" She heard Akashi comment as he stood there and watched.

"Well…" She started off, returning his attention to her, and ignoring the bothersome look of his glacially callous eyes. "At least you can appreciate these kinds of things. Even if you do think they're worthless"

The words came out of her uneasily, despite how confidently defiant she imagined saying them in her head.

"Having mastered the violin's most difficult tunes, my opinion of their orchestration is compared not to how they exceed me, but to the amount of experience and talent I know it takes to flawlessly play."

Hayami turned to Akashi with a stern but questioning look.

"And how does playing the violin differ from dancing? Isn't that an _endeavor without victory_?" She shot back with his own words.

"The skill of dancing declines as the body ages. The instrument, though, is much like a tool. Its mastery is eternal to the able body."

"You know what other skills decline with age…with talents that hold no meaning to the real world? **Basketball!** " She snapped, yelling a little louder than she wanted.

"Hm" Akashi simply smiled, his composure undisturbed. "Sports themselves may hold no practical value beyond exercise, but they develop leadership, team work, tactical flexibility, and sharpen ones performance under stress. These skills are priceless assets no matter what journey you embark in life. As for age, I assure you, years can pass me by, yet my eye and my orders will remain undefeatable."

' _The unpitying arrogance of this guy!_ ' In a rapid burst of anger, Hayami almost slapped him hard across the face. The only thing that held her back was the unfavorable scene it would cause which she did not want to start. So instead, the urge to walk away overcame her again. She seriously considered it and definitely would have, if not for her stubborn determination to figure out what his issue is. She steeled her conviction and refused to end the night without a direct answer from this asshole. After this, she planned to never see him ever again. Akashi snuck a questioning look at her as she closed her eyes, drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"I guess I rest assured. So since this topic seems to hit a nerve with you, I'll be quick, Akashi-kun… Is there at least not ONE redeeming quality about dancing? You spoke highly of it earlier!" Her voice began shaking as she became more emotional.

"Are my answers not _**clear enough**_ _?_ " Akashi snapped, the sound of anger boiling beneath his unmerciful voice.

"It's not that! I don't think they're honest." Her voice cracked as it wavered over the brink of crying. " **Just answer me,** why did you start acting so mean all of a sudden? Are you ashamed you've never tried dancing? Are you embarrassed that I'm better? I never planned on showing off and making you look bad! Nothing like that! I just don't…I just…don't…" As Hayami ranted everything off her chest, she finally noticed Akashi's unchanging expression and turned her face away in total defeat. "…get you."

She trailed off at the end, finally questioning herself if this was all worth it. She turned away from him to wipe away the water building in her eyes before they could slip out into tears.

"Nakayo-san"

She flinched when she heard him say her name. With obvious reluctance, preparing to be mercilessly shot down again, she slowly turned around. The tears she just wiped away began to moisten her eyes again from feeling futile and inferior. Until she saw his own face turned aside, in shame and humiliation, with his lips curled and teeth clenched like he was in pain.

"Why…" He managed to choke out. "Why are you still here?"

"Huh?" She blinked in shock.

"Why…are you tolerating this… **this** …" With the sharp whip of his neck, he faced her head on, and she saw his golden eye tinted with red once again. "REPULSIVE ARROGANCE OF MINE!"


	3. Wish

**Chapter 3- Wish**

He knew it was his fault. It was too coincidental for her to fall while she was making eye contact with him. It's not as if he is unaware of his reputation and how it precedes him. The sole heir of the Akashi family, who received a personal congratulations from the very man this Gala tonight exists for, taking an interest in her? He figured a question like this would weigh on her mind throughout the night. Though, whether or not to address this situation, Akashi was quite literally divided on. They both knew, after all, why they had been watching her in the first place.

"She would have been the one" The original, currently dormant, Akashi said.

"Anyone could have been the one" The second, currently dominant, Akashi replied. "Anyway, what are you doing awake, now of all times?"

"It's as I said. She would have been the one." Original Akashi stated again.

His split personality sighed to himself and walked out of view from the crowd. As he moved away, his father called him over towards himself and the birthday host. At that point, the Original Akashi fell back into unconscious slumber to let the Second Akashi handle the interaction. After all, he was the ideally fitted image of a son his father had forcibly cultivated out of him. At least until a lady resembling the fallen ballerina had boldly intruded on his personal space. At this point, things began to spiral unpredictably and uncontrollably out of the Second Akashi's grasp.

With his cold-hearted intelligence, he was used to people being all too easy to read. This allowed him to influence his surroundings into favorable conditions he could lead without trouble…but the presence of this woman had instantly ruined all of that. First off, he had not expected the issue with the ballerina to evolve from an unforeseen variable. Following that, he had not expected said unforeseen variable to take a hold of him in such a sensual way. As callous and confident as he was, a heterosexual teenage boy cannot help but be shaken up by the bold actions of a woman like Yume. Though the final straw was when his father just had to make a reference to the Original Akashi's foremost soft spot: "He looks much like his mother, after all".

Whether he wanted to or not, the Original Akashi had become conscious again. When they were brought to the young woman in question, the very sight of that ballerina, Nakayo Hayami, had weakened the Second Akashi unlike anything ever before. After everything that had led up to this moment, the Original Akashi had seized the chance to regain control for however long he could. There was a personal significance in this girl that he wanted to confirm for himself.

Unfortunately, Hayami's request pushed the Second Akashi back into dominance. Old memories were re-surfacing and he wanted an immediate stop to it. Acknowledging that he was the superior personality, and will always be as long as his efforts manifest his intentions perfectly, he stepped down once again. He had no choice but to listen helplessly as his own mouth spat daggers at this beautiful girl. She tried to apologize, despite doing nothing wrong, and they could see she wanted to mend whatever problem was emerging between them. The Original Akashi knew it was useless unfortunately.

The Second Akashi simply walked away, and they both could feel the strength of his desire to never see her again. The painful sting of this incident kept his consciousness awake for quite some time following. While the Second Akashi fluently conversed with mannerisms that resembled the logical, highly calculating personality of his father, the Original Akashi could only dwell on how Hayami was feeling. The thought of her despising and avoiding him until the nights end when she would never see him again was a terribly heart-breaking thought. Especially considering the special significance he privately felt at the sight of her; "the one" that he had believed her to be.

So when Hayami showed up and asked to speak with him, his heart leapt with hope momentarily before crashing down again. The Second Akashi equally divided his efforts between suppressing the Original and ridiculing the girl, doing both with flawless success. But when he was met with her unpredicted persistence, the Original Akashi found the internal force that bound him down begin to waver. The more he saw the hurt on this girls face, the more he wanted to reach out and yell that he doesn't truly mean what his body is speaking. He was continually appalled by the rude things he heard himself saying, and yet this girl remained unmoved from her spot each time. The Original Akashi could see in her an admirable heart of steel still in the midst of being forged within her delicate body.

She persistently demanded to know one thing, and she had every right to an answer. He wanted to re-assume control just for a moment and give it to her. Soon enough, the Second Akashi was fighting two forces from within and outside. He hated the thought of losing this battle to his former self simply because of this girl. To do so would only prove his words from earlier right…that she is "the one". It would contradict his long line of internal victories that were necessary to maintain mental control. Unfortunately for him though, the dormant Akashi could only watch idly for so long. His emotions swelled up and intensified until they overpowered the dominant personality. He was now the one pushing his other self down, while peering through their shared eyes to finally speak directly to Hayami.

"WHY ARE YOU TOLERATING THIS REPULSIVE ARROGANCE OF MINE?!"

The vehemence in their mutual stare was so thick that surrounding bystanders would not dare walk between them. His disbelief was reciprocated by her look of shock. This was the second 180 degree switch of his that threw her off guard totally into left field. She didn't know whether to be angry at his sudden change of heart, or to be relieved by it. She wanted to smack him and storm off just as much as she wanted to hug him and hear him apologize.

The fresh tears in her eyes refused to let these two emotions simmer, but only one would cause them to fall. The anger, the humiliation, the pain and the betrayal she felt was clouding her mind's eye as she looked at his remorseful expression.

"Tolerate? Tolerate, you say!?"

She gritted her teeth and raised her hand up into the air, causing Akashi to widen his eyes with shock, before he closed them with the acceptance of what was to come.

"It's _BECAUSE_ when you're not being _repulsively arrogant_ …" She slammed her hand down onto his shoulder and gripped it tightly.

"YOU'RE…you're…" Her grip loosened, and a tear had finally rolled down her cheek. "Quite charming to speak with."

Akashi slowly opened his eyes with a reprieving disbelief forming on his un-slapped face. He was greeted by the sight of a warm smile from Hayami.

"You have such a profound way with words, and your insight is captivating to hear out. I've never met anyone like you before…I guess that's why I put up with you being an asshole all of a sudden. To be frank, Akashi-kun…I actually take quite a liking to you". She sniffled as she gently cleaned the tear off her face with a nearby napkin.

Her words startled him out of his emotional state and made his ivory cheeks soak red. He understood now her tenacious grip was the result of frustration and relief mixed and expressed in a dysfunctional gesture. She shook him gently by his shoulder, still mad at him and his irrational behavior, but ended up chuckling light-heartedly. She felt an inexplicable sense of comfort at this random change of his, and everything felt like it was okay again. As if she had just reunited with a long lost friend. For this strange and unexplainable reason, she couldn't _truly_ be angry at him.

"That is too sweet of you, Nakayo-san." He returned her kind smile.

She released him and tried to make light of a short sniffle while patting away anymore pent up tears before they further ruined her make-up. Akashi felt a great deal of sorrow at seeing this though, for it was the aftermath his other half had created. He immediately bowed to Hayami.

"I apologize, as sincerely as you can believe, for mm-" He paused. "… _m-my_ behavior earlier. Though I hardly deserve your forgiveness, I do implore you to hear the honesty in my words. Nakayo-san, I am sorry for offending and hurting you with my careless behavior. It is a shame I will bear the burden of without ever forgetting."

Hayami was deeply moved by his apology. Though still entirely baffled at what warranted it in the first place, in this moment, all that mattered was that she now had an answer to one of her questions. The reason she had been so persistent in the first place herself…was to see this side of Akashi again. She felt relieved, fulfilled, and happy. It was also at this moment, that a glorious idea had struck her.

"Y'know, Akashi-kun…" He raised himself to meet her with a welcoming smile. "If you reeeaally feel so guilty about what you did…I _know_ the PERFECT way to make it up to me!"

A mischievous grin beamed under her excited eyes, and Akashi didn't like what he felt coming. She knew he understood what she meant, after all. Despite that, and the nervous crease folding above his brow, he took a deep breath and looked around the room. He stopped searching once he faced a set of doors that led out into a moonlit courtyard. Maintaining his calm composure, despite the butterflies bustling inside of him, he met Hayami's curious gaze head on.

"Meet me outside in the courtyard. Just, please, give me a few minutes…to prepare myself"

Akashi had never seen a girls eyes sparkle so dazzlingly in his life. It was a sight more beautiful than if all the diamonds and jewelry in the ballroom were combined under a spotlight.

"Un!" With an enthusiastic nod, Hayami stepped back and gave Akashi space as he turned around.

He kept his gaze downcast and used all the techniques he refined Kuroko's misdirection with until he reached the courtyard doors totally unnoticed. The world had silenced itself in an instant as soon as he shut them behind him. Looking forward, an opening to a circular area was surrounded by a short stone wall with benches against it. Sakura trees surrounded the area beyond the wall and their moon-illuminated petals decorated the ground.

Inside himself, the Second Akashi was still conscious, but was currently overpowered by the strength of the emotions swelling in their heart. It was a temporary switch, induced by the presence of this one particular girl…but he had to admit his momentary defeat due to it. He acknowledge his other self's words from earlier with a sigh.

"I guess… She really is the one". He ceased his resistance, knowing it was now his turn to watch through his other personality's eyes.

Hayami made a quick trip back to her table to finish the rest of her drink. Her cheeks blushed with the thought of Akashi waiting outside for her. Though what she was feeling wasn't exactly excitement or anticipation, nothing like with Tenshin. In fact, she didn't know what to expect. It was like she was about to enter the mysterious unknown. She felt that something special was waiting for her when she walked outside those doors. Each footstep she took brought her closer and closer, each one silencing the world around her more and more, until it all dissolved and nothing else mattered when she reached for the handle.

Meanwhile, from other ends of the room, both Takumi and Tenshin had noticed Hayami simultaneously. As they began to make their way towards her, they happened to notice each other and immediately understood this was a competition. She was finally alone, and whoever reached her first could have her to themselves. They weaved, bobbed, dodged, and swerved through the obstacles of people unaware of their silent contest.

When they finally broke through them all, they nearly butted each other's heads. A quick glance at one another was all it took before they whipped their heads towards Hayami and brisk-walked towards their target in the gorgeous dress. Takumi stretched his arm out, using his height and accompanying long limbs to reach out to Hayami first. Tenshin, in reply, stopped walking and faked a natural stance as he was about to call out to her like he had just noticed her.

But when Hayami opened the doors, they both halted just before they committed to their final actions. Beyond the glittering gold and twinkling diamonds of Hayami's dress, a luminescent figure stood outside under the bright moonlight. Its face was turned away, and its attire was similar to that of many other men's present around them…but the glow of red hair swaying gently in the breeze gave his identity away. Takumi and Tenshin could see that they had lost before they even started.

Hayami pulled the doors closed without ever noticing the two of them. The soft click of its knob returning to place got Akashi's attention, and they both turned around at the same time to face each other. Her shoes clicked against the stone floor as she slowly approached him. Neither spoke a single word aloud, yet the meaning of the moment made the silence impossibly deafening. All they could do was hold their mutual gaze through the windows into each other's souls. Both of their hearts were pounding harder, faster, and more erratic the closer they became. The instant they were in arms reach of each other, their heightened awareness made it feel as if even their breaths were synchronizing. With a gentle look in his eyes, tinted with a hint of uneasiness, Akashi drew in a deep breath and extended his arm out towards Hayami.

"May I…have this dance with you… Nakayo-san?"

She accepted his hand merrily with a heartfelt smile. Her white opera glove gave off an otherworldly glow between his fingers from the moons radiance. Feeling her hand squeeze his own as he did hers, filled him with overwhelming feelings more intense than when Yume had held him. Remembering what he mentioned before, Hayami moved them both into the starting position of the waltz.

It was the slowest and simplest that she has danced in years. Her 3rd partner of the night lacked the experience to move any more swiftly or nimbly than he was now. Yet even so, there was still something more special about this dance than any other she could ever recall. It was beyond having him eat his own arrogant words. She could feel that there was significance in this for him as well. Along with that, she was finally up close and personal with the mysterious and powerful Akashi Seijuro. She felt honored, in a unique way, that she could be the one to help fulfill whatever meaning he sought in this.

While enjoying herself, she decided to tease him by picking up her own pace. All Akashi could do was keep a hold of her hand as a smile of admiration remained on his face. She would lead his steps, spin under his hand, and other little moves to show off for him. She kept a gentle smile to reassure him of her playful intentions. She cared not in the least for any audience that may be spying on them, she was performing for him only. She did another spin under his raised arm before stopping to face him once again. Her eyes readjusted from its blurry vision to the still face before her and she greeted him with an ecstatic grin.

"AKASHI… **kun?** " She said, her face now in complete surprise.

There he stood, obviously impressed, with a tender smile just as complimenting, and the glistening streak of a tear drop running down his face.

"Nakayo-san…" His voice was shaken, but not weak.

"Yes?"

"You asked me earlier…what more is there, for me, in dancing?" She gave a silent nod.

Akashi drew in a deep breath and wiped away another tear just as it fell.

"Your dancing… makes me think of my mother."

"…" Hayami stood stunned. A jolt had shot through her at the weight of his words. They were spoken with a stifling sadness, the kind which foreshadows a tragedy one rarely speaks of, lest even reminisces. Yet, even so, his pause before continuing was all too dreadfully long.

"The violin, the piano, my excellence in varying fields of academia…much of what marks me as reputable as I am had been at the dictates of my father. You can guess who it was that introduced me to my respite from those esteemed obligations."

"Your mother…" He acknowledged her with a simple nod and the same touching smile.

"After her passing away, it became the only way I could keep the memory of her alive and close to me."

Akashi chuckled lightly to himself and looked away from Hayami. He stared off into the distance, his eyes twinkling with an old meaningful memory carrying his mind miles away.

"As a young child, out of innocent curiosity, I once asked her if we would still play basketball together if I had been a girl. To which she told me, if I _had been_ born a girl, she would have taught me how to dance instead…" He brought his eyes back to Hayami's. " _Ballet._ To be specific".

"WHA…NO WAY!" She bubbled and he blushed with embarrassment. In the back of her mind, everything was falling into place as she was absorbed further in his words.

"What a naïve little boy I was, the feeling of superb gratitude I felt at the time for being born a male because of something so trivial. My mother, however, took my comments light-heartedly and proceeded to reveal something personal. She told me, that although I may think dancing was unfit for me as a boy, one day I will grow up, and shall desire to take a women by her hand for such. I will never forget the deep longing in her eyes as she envisioned the women that would disprove my childish assertions. She described her as beautiful, elegant, and a better dancer than I. They were vague descriptions, possibly applicable to whole populations of women. Or so I thought."

"My mother, at that moment, cradled my face and, with a kiss to my forehead, told me that she hopes to see that day, so she could meet that very woman…and watch me offer my hand to dance with her." He paused for a moment, his eyes shimmering as a new set of tears moistened up. "I was unaware of her sickness at the time, so I didn't know just how heavy her words were in that moment. They were more than just a cute thought a mother held for her little son. No…they were…" His mouth stiffened into a hard line, before finally choking out the words he never said aloud in his life. "They were…a dying wish."

"Aka…shi" Hayami could barely breathe, her own eyes brimming with pending tears.

"Nakayo-san…" He looked back at her. "When I first saw you, your elegance, your beauty, and your amazing dancing…I could see it as clear as day." Akashi's eyes shook as tears finally pushed out, and for the first time she had ever seen, they both perfectly matched in color. " _You are my mother's wish_. You would have been the woman she would have encouraged me to take the hand of, as a partner in dance."


	4. Suffocation

**Chapter 4- Suffocation**

"Where is it you are going, Seijuro?"

"The Garden of the Imperial Villa"

"For what purpose?"

"The daughter of Nakayo Hiroshi had invited me. Considering the length of our interaction, I feel she would be offended if I reject her invitation without reason. It seems she has taken a liking to me. If there is a reason I should not go, then I shall inform her of the regrettable turn of events preventing me."

The air between Akashi and his father was dry and cold. Their conversation was simply an exchange of information, totally void of all emotion. The truth is, besides the routine studying, there were no specific responsibilities to be fulfilled today. Unfortunately, his father's approval was more concerning than if any plans had actually been made. This is why he mentioned who Hayami's father was, rather than herself. It is also why he hinted that to refuse her invite may be somewhat damaging to his image. It was an attempt to persuade him, cleverly disguised as an obligation with potential benefits, supported by sound logic.

"Very well, then. I will allow it this once. However, I don't want the Nakayo family believing you are free to engage in frivolous activities at their daughter's whim. You are to leave there at 14:00 sharp. I will have our chauffeur wait _no longer than a minute_ for your return."

"Yes, Father"

Akashi sat in silence, contemplating the events of the other night. Both personalities were equally balanced, leaving his body in a trance that barely responded to his surroundings. The only exception was when they drove by a basketball court, causing his eyes to focus out of the blurry mist of deep thought. His mother had flashed momentarily in his mind's eye at this, before the sinister grin of his other self darkened the image. It was replaced by the memory of Murasakibara towering over himself with an intimidating presence.

"You don't deserve this." The Second Akashi said, speaking internally within their shared mind.

The Original Akashi remained silent, refusing to give into his taunts.

"Do you expect anything to change through this? All that's happened is you've come across a girl whose personal hobbies made you think of mother…and you've developed a crush on her due to it. You're lucky she even wants to meet with you. To be honest, I'm quite surprised she's still willing to see you. After everything I did the other day-"

" **Shut up.** The impression that I was able to leave on her is what gave her the power to persist through your shenanigans. Just accept that I've beat you this time. Whether or not any changes will evolve from this, we both have yet to see." The Original Akashi snapped back, a long-forgotten sense of confidence adding renewed strength to his words.

"Hmph." The Second Akashi acknowledged the truth in his statement, but knew just as well as his other self that said truth could easily amount to nothing.

As always, whenever he conversed to himself, time and space became unimportant irrelevancies. It wasn't until the chauffeur opened his door that Akashi realized the car had stopped.

"Is everything alright, Akashi-sama?" The driver asked, sincere in his concern.

He replied with a simple nod and proceeded exit the car.

"Your father instructed me to pick you up three hours from now, at 14:00 exactly. However, there is no need to rush. If you are enjoying yourself, then do not mind me. We can blame the traffic going home. It is rare to see you socially engage with peers your age, asides from school." The chauffeur spoke with a smile and an air of sympathy in his words. "Despite your Fathers opinions, I believe you should have more of this."

Akashi simply looked back and nodded once again.

"Thank you for driving me here. That will be all until 14:00."

His chauffeur drove down the street and took a turn that brought him out of sight. Akashi opened the top buttons of his black short-sleeved blouse and finally took notice of his surroundings. Before him stood a large building of traditional Japanese design. It was a villa that acted as an entry point into a carefully catered garden of exquisite plant life. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his tan khaki shorts and made slow, calculated steps towards the villa. His sneakers hardly made a sound louder than the gentle gust of wind blowing around him.

"He shouldn't speak as if he knows. Ever since we switched, haven't you seen yourself as frail and powerless?" The Second Akashi asked, knowingly cutting into his insecurities and doubts. "It was these feelings that led me to assuming control, after all. Since then, have I not proven myself best in whatever I do?"

Unfortunately, it was true. The Original Akashi had learned to surrender himself completely to the superior will of his other half, once proving himself with his irrefutable results. The Second Akashi continued his barrage of taunts, hoping to mentally wreck his former self before seeing Hayami.

"I understand that this girl makes you reminisce of the fondest memories with mother. However, don't forget, you gave up the meaning behind them long ago when you stepped down as the weak. _**So what makes you think**_ you are worthy of enjoying this?" His tone became angry during his last question.

If the Second Akashi was lucky, his former self would bail before even meeting Hayami. Yet, despite the emotional wounds he meticulously prodded with his knife-like words, he still trudged slowly up the steps. At the least, he was hoping to ruin his state of mind to negatively impact his interactions with her. The Original Akashi had the same worries the moment he passed through the villa doors. His hands began to shake as an icy chill froze over his heart and pumped into his veins. He lost control over his own breathing, and so the ragged breaths he heard himself take didn't even feel like his own. Then a terrible thought struck him in that moment.

' _What if Nakayo-san isn't here?'_ His eyes widened with fear. ' _Would she be running late…or did she change her…mind?_ '

He looked up and turned his head around the room. It was silent and lifeless. He walked up to the doors that led out towards the garden, figuring she may be waiting outside. An elderly couple and several adults were scattered throughout it, but no sign of the girl he was hoping to see. There was not even a single blind spot where she may possibly be standing.

' _She…isn't here.'_ He sulked, feeling his other self grinning with sadistic satisfaction.

"Akashi-kun!" A voice from behind sung through his ears and warmed his heart like an affectionate hug.

He spun around and saw her walk through the entrance. The silk threads of her orange hair were pulled back with a violet head band, framing her heart-shaped face and golden honey eyes. She wore an open neck top that slung over her bare shoulder, colored with a soft shaded pattern of magenta and sky blue. This led down to navy blue jean shorts that hugged her hips in contrast to her loose shirt, finally leading down to a black pair of flat-heeled thigh high boots. Like the blinding light of the sun piercing through pitch darkness, the sight of her blew away all fears his other self had instilled in him.

"Nakayo-san! It's nice to see you again." He bowed while hiding a sheepish smile of relief.

She bowed back to him, then hopped up with an excited step.

"Sooo…there's a few things I was thinking we can do today. We can check out the garden, we can visit some nearby shops and, OH!" She clapped her hands. "There's also a taiyaki stand around the corner! We can go there too." _'Please say you want taiyaki, I haven't eaten all morning and I've been craving it!'_

Akashi titled his head down while placing his chin between his thumb and index finger, deeply contemplating her list of options. Whether he was logically weighing each one or deciding which he felt inclined towards, Hayami wallowed in despair.

' _I should have just said I'm huuuun-gryyyyyy!_ ' She cried inside.

"I haven't eaten taiyaki since I was a child." The image of Hayami screaming at the sky, lost on a barren desert landscape with no food for miles, disappeared with a snap as his words got her attention.

"Huh…really?" Though happy to know what his following answer would be, it still surprised her to know it had been _that long_ since he's eaten it.

He nodded slightly with a bit of blush on his face.

"It was with my mother."

Her eyes shimmered heartily, and she smiled with a touching expression.

"Then let's go get some taiyaki." She softly replied.

As they walked down the street, they made small talk about how they spent yesterday after the Gala. At least, that was Hayami's intention. She had an abundance of things to talk about ranging from friends, family and strangers alike. She huffed when she spoke of arguments her brother got into with herself, Yume and their parents, all individually at separate times. She laughed when she mentioned the stories her girlfriends shared with her over the phone for hours. She sighed when she explained how long she had to stand still when her sister used her as a model to create a new dress for. She blushed with embarrassment when she relayed how she was hit on by a man who visited their father for business. Then she wrapped it all up with what they ate for dinner, while Yume and Kouta continued an argument from earlier. After all of that, however, the only thing Akashi could reply with was:

"I studied all day, then ate dinner with my Father."

Hayami remained silent for a few moments, expecting for more to come.

"Wait, that's it?"

"Hmm…Oh, I fine-tuned the piano too. One of the chords had become loose at some point."

Hayami started laughing. Akashi looked at her with eyebrows raised, obviously perplexed at her reaction.

"Oh my, I'm sorry" She wiped her eyes. "You just said that so dry and naturally, it was kind of funny." She drew in a breath to steady herself from any leftover giggles. " _Huh_ , wow, sounds like you had a pretty busy day!" _'Still though, what a boring way to spend a Saturday.'_ She thought to herself.

Once they reached the taiyaki stand they each made an order, then proceeded to sit at a nearby bench to eat. Hayami took a bite and could feel every cell in her body light up with euphoria as a way to thank her.

"Mmmmm!" The satisfaction of quenching her long-held craving was absolutely blissful.

"Hoh, it's sweeter than I remember." Akashi said before taking another bite.

Hayami shot a sideways glance at him as he munched down the fish. Although there was a subtle smile on his face, he was still as hard to read as ever. It was bothersome, but what bothered her even more so was how carefully she had to tread with certain topics. She purposely omitted, after all, how much time she spent pondering their conversation during the gala. It was the reason that she "talked for hours" on the phone with her friends in the first place.

One of them had suggested bipolar disorder. Since the exaggerated descriptions of fellow students didn't count, the mention had forced Hayami to do some proper research into it. Akashi's mood swing aligned with the symptoms both medical and government certified sites had listed. However, a common theme described amongst the symptoms was that they last for a few days at minimum. Nothing was written of "episodes" that last for a few hours at the least. What also debunked the theory was that what she had seen in Akashi two days ago seemed much more intense than simple mood swings.

There was another idea floating aimlessly in her mind though, one that she was purposely avoiding consideration of. One that not even her friends brought up due to the seriousness of the topic. While lost in thought, staring at the side of Akashi's face, he turned towards her. Though his smile was small, she could see it genuinely reach his bi-colored eyes. It was then she noticed how the differing shade of his left eye was less pronounced than she remembered.

' _Did they change colors again?'_ She looked away as a reflex and could feel herself blushing for having been caught staring.

' _He has such a kind smile though.'_ Then a cold chill ran down her spine, sent by the flashing memory of vividly separate-colored eyes looking right at her. _'A kind smile, he has now. One so drastically opposite to… to…'_

A jolt shot through Hayami's body when a hand suddenly appeared in front of her. It was Akashi, holding his open palm out to take her trash. She placed it in his palm with his own, and he proceeded to squeeze it until it was crushed thin. Assuming a pose she recognized from watching Kouta, he shot the garbage like a basketball and landed it in a receptacle over 30 feet away.

"Ha, WOW!" Hayami forced a bit of extra excitement in her voice to mask any hints of what was on her mind. "They don't call you guys the Generation of Miracles for nothing!" He let out a polite chuckle.

"Out of curiosity, have you ever tried playing basketball?" In response, she couldn't help but let out a scoff. With zero interest in sports, and a slight scorn for basketball due to Kouta, the idea of her playing was mockingly comical.

"I don't think I've ever _touched_ a basketball" She laughed. "Anyway, I have no problem admitting how uncoordinated I can be when it comes to sports. If were ever on a team, I'll be counting on you to save me."

"Hmm?" He hummed with a sarcastic tone. "I find it rather difficult for a ballerina to be uncoordinated." He joked with an eyebrow raised. "You know, if you want me to play knight… you have to be a better damsel."

"Ohhh?" She raised an eyebrow back at him, mimicking his sarcastic tone. "Well, don't expect me to leap into your arms so readily. I believe the traditional cue for such is the appearance of a mighty dragon!" She flashed him a flirtatious smile.

"Nakayo-san, if a real life dragon were to land right here, right now… We're going to need the Japanese army to save us both from our distress."

As the young duo laughed in unison, Hayami thought for a second, and decided to drop what she was trying to figure out earlier. For the next two hours, they bounced back and forth through the various recreations the area had offered. It was the very reason she had chosen to meet here. They stopped at a brand store, which her mother was the spokeswoman for, and window-shopped the fancy, super expensive outfits.

On their way out they passed a certain person that, for an instant, Hayami could swear she had seen before. She turned around but couldn't identify him from his backside. He had black hair styled with gel, a brand-name t-shirt and jeans on as he walked away without turning around. Hayami didn't pay further mind to it as they continued on, since it wasn't a big deal to see someone familiar in public. Next, they went into an anime figurine store and she grouped together the main characters of shows the station her father worked for all aired.

Then she started to feel like she was showing off, so she veered towards something different that she prayed wouldn't "trigger" Akashi. Near the basketball court that he drove by earlier, there was a tennis court, along with a soccer field and a children's playground. He received the idea of a tennis match warmly and they both commenced trying their hand at something new. What Hayami found interesting was that while playing, Akashi seemed to grasp its basics quickly. He was demonstrating stark and unfair improvement over her in a short period of time.

While taking a break, Hayami noticed something out the corner of her eye. She quickly spun her head, and again she saw the same person from earlier. They made eye contact as he was texting on his cell phone, before he pretended to be busy with something and walk away. She got a good look at him this time; he was either a 3rd year in high school or a 1st year in college. Either way, she finally recognized him. He was one of the people fawning over Kouta and his arrogant speech during the gala two nights ago. Needless to say, that meant that he recognized her too, as well as her date.

' _I wonder what he's thinking…seeing Kouta's younger sister on a date with the guy he was trash-talking'_ Hayami thought. _'Well, it doesn't matter. I don't care what he thinks…'_ She tried to convince herself…before blushing to herself. _'That's a lie, this is kind of awkward actually.'_

"Hey, Akashi-kun. Why don't we head back to the Imperial Villa? Most people will be eating lunch around now, so it should be fairly unoccupied." The truth is, she just wanted to decrease the chance of running into anyone else she may know.

Akashi was perfectly fine with the suggestion and proceeded to return the rackets and tennis balls. When they returned inside the building, a particular painting adorning the wall had caught their eyes. Their gaze of wonder prompted Akashi to reveal the history of the painting and the inspirations of the artist. As they walked throughout the foyer, it was his turn to show off through his knowledge of the many paintings and portraits. He even discerned the age of the building by observing certain structural features.

They walked outside and encountered the elderly couple who take care of the garden. He spoke to them of the garden they catered, and without effort left them deeply impressed with his lucid words. Hayami didn't need to be familiar with rumors about Akashi to conclude on her own that he was definitely a prodigy. Still though, despite trying not to put thought into it, his image seemed too good to be true.

While walking along the numerous trails, they came across a decorated bridge built over a fresh stream. She ran up to the highest point of its curve and leaned over the railing to look for fish. Meanwhile, Akashi took his leisurely time walking up, all the while admiring the vibrantly colored vegetation surrounding them like a luscious mosaic. The tranquil sound of water gently running its course filled him with a sense of peace he rarely experienced.

"I think it's gorgeous here." said Hayami.

Akashi slowly walked up next to her and joined in leaning over the rail to look into the river.

"It is gorgeous here." He stated.

"What's the most beautiful place you've been to?" She asked, watching the suns light gleam and flicker upon the mobile surface of the stream. "My dad took me and my siblings to a beach in the Philippines when I was younger, and the water there was crystal blue! To this day, I've never seen anything more breathtaking. We went scuba-diving in the shore area too, and the corals there were amazing to behold. They even had fish that glowed in the dark!" She excitedly relayed.

Akashi smiled as she reminisced an answer to her own question, and sighed before giving his own.

"Unfortunately, neither my father nor I have had the luxury of traveling for sight-seeing. My father is typically busy with work, as am I with school. It may be a long while before I can enjoy something like this again."

Hayami looked up from the river in surprise to find Akashi deep in thought. He quickly met her gaze when he felt her eyes curiously inspecting him.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to dampen the mood. I'm just thinking out loud. It's been a fun day, aft-"

"Hold on, what are you so busy with? School and basketball can't be that time consuming…?" _'It sure as hell isn't for Kouta.'_

"It's not as simple as that." He faced her with a stern look in his eyes, poorly concealed with a feigned softness to attempt hiding the hurt he felt explaining himself. "I am constantly studying to stay on top of all my courses. Both in school and extracurricular. I am to one day take over my Father's business after all, so it is my responsibility to secure my future in present times. Plus, being born to a prominent family, it is my personal duty to excel incomparably in all I involve myself. The reputation of my lineage falls upon me as its sole heir."

Hayami stood stunned.

' _K-Kouta doesn't even have this much pressure on him, and he's supposed to assume dads position in the future too. This kind of pressure can break a man!'_ Her eyes widened. _'But then…what would it do to someone…my age?'_

"So, you must have been lucky you were able to come today, huh?" She chuckled uneasily, trying to pull some positivity into the conversation.

"I convinced my father you would be offended if I did not come." He said with a smile of pride. "Regardless though, I still have to leave here at 14:00, but it will be well worth it."

Hayami's stun evolved into shock. Anyone else on the planet would have said those words with either irritation, scorn, frustration or disappointment. Therefore, the sincerity she heard in Akashi's voice just now… was heart-breaking and painful.

"BUT… **that's only an hour from now!** " she shouted while trying not to sound too rude. _'If I knew you were only available for 3 hours, I would have organized our time better!'_ "How can you be content with just that?" She demanded to know, sympathy softening the rough edge of her tone.

"Well, it's like I was saying Nakayo-san. Compared to my usual schedule, these past few hours were a well-deserved break to breathe within." He then chuckled to himself. "If not for you, I wouldn't know what to do with myself during this time."

Hayami was unsure whether Akashi was oblivious or if he was intentionally acting like his restricted freedom is expected and normal. He was brushing it aside like something small and insignificant. Either way, it was impossible for her to not feel as much sympathy as she did. He was like a born prisoner to whom freedom is only a fairytale to dream of.

"And what will you do if you _suffocate_ before your next break?" She asked firmly.

A pained look contorted his face, her words obviously striking a sensitive nerve. The look she caught a glimpse of hurt like a needle pressed into her heart. His reply was almost inaudible, completely lacking in all strength, power and certainty.

"…I just have to hold my breath a little longer" He could feel his other self smiling, reminding him he had "suffocated" long ago.

After a few seconds of silence between them, only the sound of a gentle stream coloring the background, Hayami spoke up.

" **Dumbass!** " She sneered at him, catching him by surprise with her uncharacteristic remark and tone.

"Why the hell would you choose to keep holding your breath…when someone is reaching out to rescue you?" Akashi's heart surged with bright bolts of electric tingles when he saw his clenching fist disappear inside Hayami's hands clasping gently around it.

The feel of her soft, warm skin encapsulating his hand ripped the breath out of his lungs. It was different than the firm handshakes he's shared hundreds of times with men over the years. It was especially different from two nights ago when they had danced. The absence of a thin piece of fabric coating her hand made a world of difference. A long-forgotten affection, nearly foreign in its feminine magic, spread from the warmth around his hand and into his soul. This was one of the few times in his entire life that he did not know how to react, even if he could.

Hayami started giggling when his white cheeks turned blood red, burning hot from the cozy fire she set alight in his heart. She took a step closer to him and he looked back into her wonder-filled eyes. She felt that yet another curious feeling in her heart had been finally answered. More accurately, she now understood the "mysterious and powerful" aura that she constantly felt in his presence.

She saw the noble prince within him, bound in the depths of a kingdoms cell. A cell to which only she may possess the key to freedom for. Little did she know, there was so much more than a lack of freedom that the young man before her needed to be saved from. Akashi steeled himself and, despite his nervousness, stood up as straight and confident as he could.

"…Nakayo-san." He paused.

"Yes?" She quickly replied.

"There's…something important you should know…. _about me_." He said, uneasily, but with conviction none-the-less.

She could feel the tension in his words, raising goosebumps along her arms.

"Of course."

He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. When he opened them, they were shaking with the heavy weight of a burden lifting off his shoulders; a serious secret about to be revealed. His mouth opened but he choked on the first word. In return, Hayami encouragingly caressed the hand she held. Her own heart raced with anticipation and fear.

' _The look in his eyes makes me feel a bit uneasy…but if it's something this serious, I'll have to be strong enough to accept it if I truly I want to help him.'_ Hayami mustered up her bravery, and prepared herself for whatever may come.

"Ooooiiiiiiii, Akashi!" A voice from afar echoed towards them.

Akashi quickly turned his head to see who was calling him by name. The voice, however, was very familiar to Hayami. The sound of it startled her and she tore her hands off Akashi's almost insultingly. The irony of her "brave preparation" dawning on her once she did this.

"Hoh! It really is you! Holy crap, this is awesome!"

A young man of college age broke into a light jog towards the two of them. He was over half a foot taller than Akashi with a muscular build and short black hair that tapered upwards into burgundy tips. Akashi narrowed his eyes at the stranger as he drew closer.

"Who are yo…"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, MOTO-KUN!?" Hayami scolded the stranger, cutting off Akashi in the process.

"Ah? No - _Sama_?"

"No!" She scolded again, before blinking in confusion. "Wait, what? Hmph!" _'Gah! He always likes messing with me…'_ She shut her mouth before he could make a fool of her.

"Nakayo-san, who is this?" Akashi asked, his calm demeanor bringing her rising temper down.

"Oh, this is Moto Gorou. He plays on my brother's basketball team."

"Basketball?" In an instant, Akashi knew exactly what this guy wanted and where all this was going. However, there was something he was curious about. The name had strangely rang a bell in his memory.

"Yeah, a friend of mine _swear they saw_ not only one of the Generation of Miracles here, but their captain none-the-less!" The mocking tinge in his excitement was not unnoticed, though something he said caught Hayami's attention more so than his underlying tone.

' _Friend? The gel-haired kid!'_ She realized. _'So Moto-kun knows him?_ ' Hayami thought this, but felt there was a missing link in the sequence of events she was piecing together.

Unfortunately, Gorou's mischievous grin being directed at her broke her train of thought.

"Which reminds me, what are _you_ doing here, Nakayo-san? You mind if I borrow your boyfriend for a bit?"

Hayami blushed uncontrollably.

"HE'S NOT MY B…boyfriend! This is just…a casual date."

"Ah, c'mon! Kouta told me all about the gala on Friday!"

"Kouta likes to embellish, and you know that!"

"Excuse me." Akashi's voice cut through their banter with a serious tone. "What is it exactly that I can do for you? If you've come to ask me to play basketball, I must apologize in advance. I have one hour left before I must return home, and I promised to spend this time with Nakayo-san. If you wish to face me in basketball, then consult the coach at Rakuzan High School for a match with my team. I'm sure he will agree if college players are impressed enough to challenge us openly."

"I will admit that Rakuzan holds an impressive track record. I would know…" Gorou then skipped up to the front of the bridge and stared challengingly at Akashi. " _I graduated from there_!" He sneered playfully.

Akashi's face became stern and Hayami could feel Gorou's attitude generating tension between them.

' _You sure know how to pick 'em, Kouta.'_ She sighed quietly to herself.

The arrogant personality of her brother was unfortunately complimented by Gorou's own strand of egotism. Kouta was the type to believe he could bring anyone down to his level and rise above them, regardless of skill and talent. Gorou, however, was the type to relish in the beat down of those they brought down. The worst part about it all, was that they were good at it. Their team was not without the talent worthy of their achievements, but how they handle their success is just disgraceful. This created a feedback loop where the more they won, the stronger and viler their egos have grown. And they win _**a lot**_.

"You can ask the coach if you don't believe me, but I'm sure you _must've_ heard about me!" He shrugged his shoulders and held his hands out while bragging.

"Yes, I have heard stories about you. Most deplorably how you slept with the girlfriend of an opposing teams Power Forward after a one-sided match." Akashi bluntly replied.

This was something not even Hayami had heard before. She was even more shocked when Gorou's grin erupted into a scandalous chuckle.

"Okay yeah, I was rather mean in my younger years…but I'm no longer the punk I was in high school. I've grown up! Besides, I would never do anything so rash and nasty to Nakayo-san. She's my buddy's little sister, after all."

' _Is that the only thing stopping you?!'_ Hayami thought with disgust.

"Regardless, this conversation is over. I made my decision clear. If you wish to face me on the court, consult the coach of Rakuzan. You being a former member would provide more incentive for his agreement." He turned away from Gorou and towards Hayami. "Come on, let's go."

"Akashi, Akashi…I don't think you quite get it. I don't **CARE** about the team you got now!" Gorou raised his voice. "I'm sorry man, but like, I know all of Rakuzan's training routines and the standard for their line-up. Of course they're gonna be a bit strong, because I helped pave the way for them. But it's you that I'm interested in, kid! One of the Miracles! Let's be real here, if my team, the magic 8-ball, faced you guys…spin it how you wanna dude, but we'd crush you!" Hayami was watching Gorou as he spoke but Akashi's face, visible only to her, remained firm and unchanged. He took a few steps forward past her, out of her sight, without saying a word.

"C'mon bro! I've heard all about you! Seriously, you've gotta be something else, right? To command all those little beasts on the court, what kind'a monster have you got to be? I mean, the reason you didn't play in the Summer InterHigh was because 'it wouldn't be interesting' if you did. That's what **YOU** said, so I wanna see you walk your own talk! I know how you feel, a bunch of high school amateurs just can't give you the challenge to grow, that's why I don't wanna face your team." Gorou stepped forward and landed with a mighty stomp. "Face me then, Akashi! Or what, you don't think _I'm_ _interesting_ enough?"

" **I don't."** Akashi replied rather loudly with a certain edge to his voice that gave the feeling of being grazed with a cold knife. "I don't do one-on-ones… Do you need a clue as to why?"

As Akashi turned around to face Gorou, goosebumps crept up his arms while a familiar chill shot down Hayami's spine. Akashi began walking towards Gorou and passed Hayami as if she were non-existent. Gorou stared in surprise as he walked up to the apex of the bridge, and despite their height difference, felt miserably tiny before his presence.

"Let me spell it out for you: It's because they are _**dreadfully**_ _**uninteresting**_."

Neither Gorou nor Hayami could put their fingers on it, but something unnatural was happening before their eyes. It was too subtle for either to pick up, but their instincts were definitely reacting to it. It was warning them through the feelings of anxiety and caution.

"However, I will not tolerate your insults just because you try to pass them off as your unintelligible slang. If you so insist, then so be it, but your insistence will be your demise." Akashi took a few steps down and looked up at Gorou without a hint of deterrence. He then bared his teeth with a bone-chilling smile and made a declaration, not of war, but of victory: " **I will make you writhe from the utter humiliation of defeat.** "

Gorou's confusion instantly subsided and he ignored the uneasy twisting in his gut to muster his pride.

"Oh you shitty little fucking brat, WOW!" He yelled in Akashi's face and stomped, meaning to startle him, but didn't even make him flinch. "Why don't you join me on the court down the street then, huh?!" Gorou spun around hastily then proceeded to arrogantly strut away. "It's easy for a tiny bitch to say big things anyway. You should come along too, _Nakayo-chan_!" He emphasized her name with a sleazy drawl. "Who knows…Royama-san _might_ be there."

As Gorou disappeared into the distance, Akashi stood there watching him. Hayami ran up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to do anything, Akashi-kun. He's is just being a piece of shit." She then grabbed the sleeve of his shirt by his wrist. "Come, if we hurry, we can…"

"His confidence is rooted in delusion, his power rests upon nothing concrete. He challenges those he deems weaker than himself but gloats like a king among peasants." Akashi turned to Hayami and startled the hold on his wrist off. Her frightened reflection stared back at her from the eerie hue of his bright saffron eye. "I'm doing him a favor by shattering his illusion."

He began to walk in the direction Gorou ran off. His body language was extremely different from the nervous shaking he had just a few minutes ago. The way he now moved seethed with supreme self-confidence, an aura of _absolute_ certainty in himself. There was not a single force conceivable that could sway or break his conviction. It would have been considered delusional if the affirmative power radiating off of him couldn't be backed up. But there was not a single waiver in his voice, tremor in his step, and budge in his smile. His conviction was so unconditionally complete that in the presence of it, defiance was understood deep down to be an act of danger.

"Besides, anyone who acts against me is never forgiven… _even if they are my parents_." The cruelty in his voice reached her ears before his words actually registered.

In total disbelief, Hayami could only stutter in near silence. "Aka…shi?"

She thought back to the past hours she spent with him and could barely recognize the person just a few feet in front of her. The subtle mannerisms that built up the young man she was drawn to were definitively gone. Then as she probed her memory even further back, a sudden thought shot through her psyche and blared in the forefront of her mind. One she had chosen to ignore earlier. One she could not take seriously at first. One she could barely even believe herself, until witnessing such an inhuman change occur before her eyes.

Fear overwhelmed her in light of a grim reality that she had invited upon herself. The foreboding concern of whether to cut it all off while she can or continue forward weighed on her. The instability, the unpredictability, all the unseen and abnormal factors brought by a wild element entering the steady flow of daily life raced through her mind. Hayami shook her head in an attempt to slow her thoughts. Eventually, she calmed her heightening nervousness and looked back up as Akashi disappeared out of her sight. Her legs broke into a sprint before her desire to follow him was consciously acknowledged. She focused her mind while running, and managed to still her agitated thoughts until they narrowed down to one question:

Does Akashi Seijuro have a split personality?


	5. My orders are absolute

**Ch. 5- My Orders… Are Absolute**

Hayami could never say that she truly hated her brother, Kouta. But she could say that he's gotten on her nerves. She could easily say he is arrogant, inconsiderate, and annoying. Most of all she could definitely say, without hesitance, that he is an utter pain in the ass. Yet, in this moment, none of the things she could readily say about Kouta fit the strength of her revulsion for him…as he stood amongst a crowd of college kids and high schoolers at the basketball court Gorou went to.

" _ **Ooooonnniiiii-saaaan!**_ " Hayami growled viciously under her breath.

She kicked herself internally for not realizing sooner that this was all staged by him. The random kid that she saw early and Gorou just magically knowing where to find them had snapped together. She recalled mentioning to her family yesterday that she was seeing Akashi today. It was actually the reason that she and Kouta got into one of his many arguments of the day.

' _He must have coordinated with everyone here. He probably had that random kid keep tabs on us until Gorou and all these people could finally gather.'_ She surmised, knowing how her brother thinks.

It was obviously not a coincidence that all the members of 'The Magic 8-Ball' were present. Along with that, she recognized some hardcore fans of theirs here as well. Then of course there was the kid with the gelled hair, standing among other people she remembered from the gala. Yet, despite the crowd which testified to obvious planning, Akashi didn't even react slightly to any of it. This in itself made Hayami more uneasy than anything else. She was now left without any reason or support to confront her brother.

"Hayami-chan!" As expected, the familiar voice of a woman called out to her from the crowd.

A young couple were sitting on a bench to the side of the court. The woman who called her out, Royama Aimi, was awaiting Hayami with a welcoming smile. Her boyfriend, Hirama Kenji, had his arm resting comfortably around her. Aimi rose out of Kenji's arm and gave her a hug. Kenji clicked his tongue while pointing with a thumb-up as his own greeting. Aimi released her from her hug and took hold of both her shoulders with a happy smile. Strands of her waist-length red hair clung to Hayami's shirt while her dark blue eyes furrowed with a look expressing the intent to comfort. Hayami just couldn't help but smile in return

"Soo, I heard you were on a date!" Her smile vanished immediately and her cheeks burnt red.

"Ha, well…yes! It was a lot of fun until Moto-kun showed-" Hayami stopped cold in her tracks.

Her answer was going to be reminiscent of the fun time she shared with Akashi until Gorou appeared. However, as of now, it was an entirely different person embodying the guy she was seen walking around with.

"Uh, I mean…I'm just trying to get to know him better." She said, the change in her tone too obvious to overlook.

Aimi's expression shifted to concern while Kenji looked a little more serious than before. Aimi decided it was best to ignore it and put her arm around Hayami.

"Well, why don't you sit with Ken-chan and I? We're both excited to watch Moto-senpai face off with one of the Miracles." She tried to reassure her.

Aimi gently reassumed her place on the bench. She was meticulous and demure in her movements as if she were physically fragile, but it's the opposite that's true. A trait Hayami always found cute about her.

"It's gonna be awesome! Not gonna lie though, I kinda hope Moto loses." Kenji playfully snickered while whipping his dirty blonde hair to the side.

"Well that's mean, he's your teammate!" Aimi reprimanded him mockingly.

"He's way too cocky! I just think it'd be funny if a first-year in high school managed to get the better of him." A glint of mischief flared in his caramel-colored eyes.

Aimi took a hold of his hand and nuzzled her head into his neck. In response, he squeezed her hand gently and gave a quick peck on the forehead. Hayami smiled while watching this in her peripheral vision.

' _He's a much better person now, thanks to you Aimi.'_ She thought.

Kenji was once a combative, trash-talking punk who simply needed to learn to grow up. When it came to basketball, he would demand challenges at random for the fun of it, even if it meant starting a fight over it. Kouta and Gorou loved him for it, since it provided an excuse to show off. However, since he had started dating Aimi, he cooled off his hostile behavior. He had become much more modest and reasonable, and recognized his immaturity for what it was.

Unfortunately, his example wasn't paid heed by the rest of his teammates. Hayami looked up and could see Kouta across the court, leaning against the chain link fence. He was accompanied side-by-side by his other two top teammates, and the three of them were surrounded by several people of varying ages. Many of them were clearly here just for a good time and awaited the match with excitement. Some others, however, seemed to be glaring daggers at Akashi. In fact, Hayami noticed, those that did were all of high school age. It was likely, for their own personal reasons, they were either spiteful or envious of the Captain of the Generation of Miracles.

Regardless of their feelings, everyone began clapping as soon as Gorou and Akashi approached each other on the court. Both of them had stripped down to tank tops while wearing the shorts they both had on already. If Aimi and Hayami weren't the only girls here, they both were sure there would have been audible fawning over the two chiseled bodies on near-display for all to see. The chain-link fence jingled as Kouta pushed himself off with a basketball in hand.

"Alright, let's start this game! It's gonna be a simple one on one. First to 5 wins! Gorou, as the challenger, will get the ball first. Akashi, do your best to stop him and score your own goals! After someone scores, the ball will go to the other player for a chance to redeem themselves!" Kouta tossed the ball to Gorou and the round of applause signified the start of the match.

Hayami, Kenji and Aimi all sat at the edge of their seat while Akashi bent into a defensive stance. Gorou dribbled the ball slowly with a taunting smirk. All was quiet except for the slow dribbling, sardonic in its pace, and everyone could feel the humid tension between the two players. Suddenly, the steady sound of dribbling became irregular and the chaotic squeaking of sneakers broke the silence.

Gorou made a quick move forward. Akashi immediately reacted and blocked his path. In reaction, Gorou stepped the other way to dodge him. In an instant, Akashi was in his way once again. Hayami sat mesmerized at the effortless fluidity of their movements. Their speed and agility, though on par with each other, were on a level far more capable than she could ever imagine herself.

The unrelenting pace they faced each other with was exhausting to watch, yet neither yielded in the face of the other. Gorou's split-second advances were constantly met with Akashi's inconceivable reflexes. They were two separate forces, moving forward unforgivingly, set with irreversible directions opposing each other, repeatedly clashing.

"As expected of a Miracle, the simple stuff won't do." Gorou's eyes lit up with sinister excitement. "Good, I like it! I won't feel bad now when I do my _Whirl Wind Flash!_ "

Gorou steadied himself and crouched low, one foot ahead the other, and swiftly dribbled the ball back and forth between his legs. Then, in the blink of an eye, he lunged upwards and spun while throwing the ball over Akashi and towards the hoop.

' _Oh? A formless shot like Daiki's, huh?'_ He thought as he quickly turned backwards to stop it… but there was no trace of the ball in sight.

"Oi! Lookin' for something?" The sound of dribbling then brought his attention back from where he turned away. By the time he spun to face his opponent, Gorou had already seized the opportunity opened by Akashi's misled attention. He passed him out of his view while he was still turning forward.

Despite the times she had seen it before, Hayami couldn't help but be impressed at what she just saw. When Gorou lunged upwards and spun, the ball stuck to his hand as if it was glued, but gave the impression that it was thrown overhead, which he certainly would do later to keep his opponent paranoid. As Akashi turned around, Gorou recovered from his spin, dribbled the ball to get his attention, and then ran past him along his backside while turning. At this point, Gorou had sprinted to the basket and scored his first point with a lay-up. Cheers exploded throughout the court. Hayami and Aimi covered their ears and looked at each other, laughing at their inability to handle the rowdiness of the sport fans.

"That was insane!" One guy shouted.

"How did he do that?" One of the younger ones followed.

"Damn man, Akashi must have met his match now, huh!" Another jeered.

Gorou stood under the basket and held the ball up in front of him. He posed with an exaggerated sense of pride that drew a few joking applauses.

"Interested _yet_?" He mocked.

Akashi stood there and faced Gorou with an unforced look of utter dissatisfaction.

"No." His reply was dry.

"Heh, you're lying, I can tell kid! But whatever, I'll try harder then." The sarcasm seething in his voice mixed well with his haughtiness.

Gorou tossed the ball to Akashi and they returned to the center of the court. As Akashi started dribbling, the crowds noise died down and soon enough, the same concentrated silence from earlier had ensued. Akashi made a sudden jerk to the right which prompted a similar and equally fast reaction in Gorou, though neither of them moved from their spot. It was as if Akashi was gauging Gorou's reflexes. Akashi then charged forward on the left. Gorou immediately blocked the path but Akashi crossed the ball over between his legs and promptly switched to passing on Gorou's right. However, just before he could step behind him, Gorou swung his arm and stole the ball with a strike akin to a viper.

" **Ooohhhh!** " the younger guys in the crowd yelled as Gorou sprinted his way to the end of the court.

However, before he could score, Akashi caught up and stood between him and the basket.

"Well well, you're pretty fast, kid" He said while steadying his dribbling once again.

Gorou attempted a few drives forward, but each one was met with Akashi in his way. With a booming yell, he gripped the ball with both hands and jumped forward to dunk it. Akashi didn't miss a beat and was following Gorou up in the air. Gasps of surprise resonated randomly throughout the court. Everyone watching was amazed not only at how explosive Akashi's jump was, but how high he cut through the air to match Gorou's rise. However, before he could block it, Gorou gave him a heckling smile and swung the ball behind himself instead.

There was enough strength in his throw to cause the ball to bounce back up to a height taller than himself. So, when Gorou landed, he immediately bent his knees, and lunged upwards with instantaneous timing. His leap up was at a backwards angle this time though, allowing him to catch the ball mid-air as it started falling, thus setting himself up for an unstoppable fade-away shot. Just as Akashi was recovering from his own jump, Gorou was already in the air again, catching the ball from his own bounce, and shot it through the hoop. The ear-wrecking praise that followed tore apart all background noise that the two girls once could hear.

" **WHAT?! What was that? WHAT WAS THAT!?** " One rowdy high school boy screamed to his friends amidst the hyperbolic madness.

"Moto has the craziest tricks man, you can't stop 'em! He's just too good!" Another one followed up.

Kouta stepped away from the wall engulfed with the laughter of astonishment, blatantly relishing in his teammate's obvious victory-to-be.

"Whoa-ha-hooo, Gorou man, go easy on him, will ya?" He snidely mocked.

"I am bro! Y'know what? I _really_ am!" Gorou sneered with a sickeningly cocky edge.

Even Kenji, sitting next to the girls, was going crazy with excitement.

"It was a bit much, but I gotta admit, I love seeing his plays!" He commented.

Aimi was applauding softly in between him and Hayami.

"I think Akashi-kun is still doing pretty good, though!" Aimi defended. "Especially against Moto-senpai. After all, he's just a first year in high school. Moto-senpai, a second year in college, had been doing this his whole life. Their levels of experience are far too great, so I think Akashi-kun's resistance is a commendable achievement."

Though Hayami acknowledged her with a nod, she did not honestly agree with Aimi. Something about the game had been bothering her so far. Akashi's emotionless and unperturbed expression had barely shifted since the game started. Gorou had been preoccupied with playing so he had no time to notice, but Akashi hadn't even flinched at his losses. During last shot Gorou made, Hayami thought it was eerily remarkable how little his expression faltered. She had a flashback to what he said earlier about 1 on 1's: " _They are dreadfully uninteresting_ ".

Everyone else was impressed with his jump, but she had been walking with him for hours and couldn't help noticing the tone of his physique. Anyone who'd seen it would know that his jump was an effortless feat for him. Now, as the two of them faced each other at the center of the court again, it was too late to share her concern with Aimi. A feeling of dread in her gut drew her to the edge of her seat. Before she knew it, she was leaning forward with her arms across her stomach. An uneasy chill forced her hands and feet to nervously tap to a dysrhythmic beat as she anticipated how the next round will play out.

' _I pray that Akashi doesn't get violent…Moto-kun, do you_ _ **understand**_ _what you're dealing with?'_ Her anxiety was obvious to anyone who bothered to look at her.

She felt Aimi's hand pat her on the back.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll score soon" She tried comforting her.

A chuckle helplessly slipped out of Hayami's mouth before she replied.

"Um, its not…that's not what I'm concerned abou-"

 **"OOOOHHHHH!"** The uproar of cheers snapped both of their attention to the court. "A steel! Gorou has the ball!"

"That was too fast, Akashi is losing it!"

When the girls looked up, Akashi was just pivoting on his foot.

"Hey shrimp! I'm gonna show you a dunk you could never land!" Gorou yelled as he passed the free throw line.

With the momentum built from his sprint, he leapt up and flew towards the basket. In midair, he switched hands by crossing the ball between his legs, just to show off. Once he reached the basket, he slammed it through with a bang and caught the ball between his feet while hanging onto the basket. He pulled himself up and swung his legs upwards to shoot through the hoop backwards.

The rim banged as he let go while using the force of his swing to flip off the basket and into the air. Once he dropped to his feet, he promptly caught the ball right before it hit the ground. Kouta, his team mates, and all the guys in the crowd lost it. Incredulous astonishment and the dumbfounded pandemonium associated with it must have been heard for miles. Not only were they seeing his best tricks disallowed in regular games, but he was dominating one of the Generation of Miracles too.

" _ **Okay!**_ Is it just me…or is Moto-senpai purposely being an asshole?" Aimi said while staring at Gorou with a look of repugnance.

"Gorou's always been extremely competitive and a show off…but no, you're right. He's definitely being more of an asshole than usual." Kenji confirmed. "Idunno what gives?"

"Hayami-chan, did Akashi-kun do something to make him so mad?" Aimi asked her.

Hayami sighed apprehensively which caught the couple's attention. She thought hard to find a delicate way to describe how insulting and arrogant the guy she had been spending the day with suddenly became. That is until yet another unexpected event took everyone by surprise.

"WAIT, NOPE, NO! HOLD UP, DON'T CHEER! **STOP IT, JUST STOP!** " Gorou yelled to everyone until the noise had completely died down.

Akashi, who had walked back to the center of the court to await his fourth attempt, was even surprised by this. Gorou turned towards him with all semblances of teasing gone, and a face that meant business.

"Akashi… _**What**_. _**The Hell**_." Gorou glowered with genuine disgust while Akashi could only stare back, still in surprise.

"Please TELL ME _you're not playing_ _ **seriously**_!" He began to laugh in shame and disbelief. "Oi everyone, you wanna know what this kid told me? He said…eh, what was it? Oh yeah! He's supposed to _make me wriiiithe from the_ _ **utter**_ _humiliation of defeat_ " He faced the crowd and repeated Akashi's words with an insulting tone of sarcasm, laughed at how stupid he considered it, then spun back around to him and screamed "…SO WHERE THE HELL IS IT, YOU CONCEITED LITTLE SHIT!?"

Aimi gasped out loud while everyone else whispered in confusion and shock. Akashi's face, however, reverted back to its previous state of disinterest. In response, Gorou threw the ball rather hard at him but he caught it safely none-the-less.

"Your daddy ain't here to buy your victory kid, so STEP IT UP, SHORT FUCK! Or I swear, I'm just gonna leave dude. **And I** **mean it** _,_ _ **I will leave!**_ **"**

Kouta nodded sternly as if he was watching a stubborn child get the scolding they deserved. The high schoolers who were glaring daggers at Akashi were now smiling with glee and wicked anticipation. Everyone else just watched silently, some stoic-faced while others obviously uneasy. The two players resumed their positions and Akashi started dribbling.

The atmosphere between them was uncomfortably tense. The echo of the hollow ball bouncing acted as a ticking timer counting down to an explosion. The answer to who would receive the blast kept everyone staring intently, despite their anxiety.

Almost everyone was certain that Gorou was going to triumph…but one look at Akashi's face left an unsettling doubt in this conclusion. He was not angry, nor was he frightened. What he had was the look of a person asked to do something for the umpteenth time because someone missed every single other one. Annoyance, disinterest and dissatisfaction all in one. Gorou shook his head.

"Y'know…that look on your face _reeaaally_ pisses me **OFF**!" Before he even finished his sentence, Gorou lunged forward with inconceivable speed and stole the ball from Akashi.

Or so everyone thought.

"Huh!?" Empty-handed, Gorou realized that Akashi cut the ball to the other side just before he reached it.

With the snap of his body, he instantly caught up to snatch the ball again…but as he was moving, Akashi simultaneously moved the opposite way by cutting under his legs. Gorou reacted by propelling backward diagonally to block Akashi's path to the basket, but Akashi cut back under his own legs again at the same time.

The abrupt change instinctually caused Gorou to chase after him, but his legs were not ready to keep up with the act. His feet collided beneath him while his weight was propelled all the way to one side, just without the support to catch it. Gorou fell with a plop onto the concrete court, like a rug was pulled from underneath him. Akashi kept dribbling as if he expected this to happen.

"What's the matter? **Get the ball.** " He taunted with his demand.

With a scowl, Gorou lunged up and towards the ball. The befuddled crowd watched perplexed in silence as Gorou uselessly tried to keep up with Akashi's complex dribbling. He was constantly one step ahead of him. No matter where Gorou moved and no matter how fast he reacted, the ball was out of his reach non-stop. The quick rhythm of his dribbling never broke its steady pace as well, enslaving Gorou to a percussive melody. It became insultingly obvious to all that Akashi was effortlessly toying with him.

Gorou's face was turning red as he exhausted himself trying to keep up while Akashi was calm and barely breaking a sweat. Gorou's eyes were glued to the ball, while Akashi's stayed focused on his opponent and nothing else. Suddenly, one of Akashi's dribbles hit the ground faster than the others, breaking his previous rhythm, and causing Gorou to trip over his feet again. Akashi walked past him, shot his first goal, then turned around and looked down at him as he was on the ground.

"I was going to let you score four points before I beat you… so I could derive at least a hint of entertainment from this worthless waste of time." He kicked the ball to Gorou and turned away to walk back to the center. "However, now that you've made me angry…" He stopped, and glared at Gorou over his shoulder. " **You're never going to score against me again.** "

"Oh _really_?" Gorou stood up and sneered, making his way back to the center as well. " **Well, we'll see about that!** "

Gorou crouched low and dribbled between his legs again. When he felt it was least expected, he sprung upwards and spun in place with the ball, this time intending to throw it towards the hoop. However, just as he began the twist for his spin…he felt the ball slip out from his hands. Once he finished spinning, he looked around immediately to find where it slipped out to and grab it before Akashi could.

" **No…we won't** ". The sound of his voice made his blood run cold…and the sound of the ball dribbling away sent a chill down his spine.

Gorou just caught Akashi calmly making his way to the basket, before the ball left his hands and fell swiftly through the hoop. Every single person in the audience stuttered and gasped in disbelief, while Hayami was paralyzed with the same feelings. They all thought they knew what was coming. Gorou was to spin around and make it seem like he threw the ball over Akashi's head. Whether he would really throw it or somehow maintain his hold on it was unpredictable, leaving his opponents at the mercy of his own choice.

However, this time, just as Gorou began to spin, Akashi stepped forward and held his hand out. The next thing everyone knew…he was walking towards the basket while dribbling the ball. As if Gorou high-fived the ball right into Akashi's hand. In mere seconds, he had scored his second point. Gorou stood dumbfounded, and could not help but stutter from the same disbelief everyone else was suffering.

"H…How did you-"

"I'm going to _tell you something_ that you are to _**sear deep into your mind**_." Akashi passed the ball to Gorou and started walking from under the hoop to the center where Gorou still was. "To the point you have _no control over how often you dream about it_."

A morbid sensation gripped Gorou in the gut as Akashi's piercing cold eyes closed in on him with ill intent. This woke Gorou out of his daze and forced him to nervously resume his position. He started dribbling again, but Akashi would not drop their eye contact. Then when he met him in the center of the court, he gave a menacing grin and seared the following words deep into his mind.

" **My orders…are absolute.** "

Before Gorou knew it, the ball was slapped out of his hand and Akashi was charging forward. To counter the steal, Gorou stepped as fast as he could in Akashi's path before he had to actually sprint to catch up. However, the instant he dedicated his whole body in this direction, Akashi crossed the ball over the opposite way. It was fast and calculated with inhumanly perfect timing. It knocked his center of gravity out of balance and, yet again, Gorou fell down onto the court. Akashi dribbled no more than twice before making yet another shot with time to spare.

"Oh shit, he caught up already!" One kid said aloud from the audience.

"This is where the real match starts, huh!"

"You guys know what this is, right? This is it! It's gotta be! This is Akashi's Emperor Eye!"

"Aaaawwww shit, man!"

The multiple conversations soon dwindled out of hearing range. The inaudible mumbles surrounding Gorou were tormenting. Though no one dared to voice their opinions out loud, it was obvious that he was being criticized in light of being played as a fool. He felt it mandatory to redeem himself, but he could foresee no possible way to do so. Despite being years older than Akashi, and standing a foot taller than him, his senses went numb whenever he mustered the will to act.

As if his body registered the pointlessness of any attempt it would try to make. However, such a thing wouldn't stop him from trying. He ignored the wave of goosebumps that spiked up through his arms and across his back. Letting go of the attention he put into dribbling the ball, he focused all his concentration on the opponent before him.

' _Shit! Yeah I gotta admit, I underestimated the kid somethin' good, alright. To keep up with Akashi, I'm gonna need to have faith in my ball handling skills. I can't think about whether I'll catch my own cross over or not, or if it'll hit my feet, or bounce out of my reach. I've done this countless times over the course of years. I can do this! I just need the image in my head, and I'll make it happen out here in the flesh. I'll teach this spoiled prick not to mess with me._ ' Gorou smiled as he convinced himself back to confidence.

' _I'll dribble for a bit, then swing the damn ball so close to his face, he'll scream. I just need to make him flinch, even if it's for a second. Heh, a second is all I need for an opening to score!_ '

Soaking in the image of his opponent, Gorou steadied his breathing and became loose on his feet once again. He moved fluidly, almost like dancing, walking in place in front of Akashi while dribbling between his legs with each step. This was to help himself get a feel for the ball without focusing on it, allowing it to come naturally, and at the same time to begin distracting Akashi. He could see his eyes darting around to follow the ball but it mattered little to Gorou. In fact, he felt it was better that way.

Without warning, Gorou cut the ball to his dominant arm and snapped it straight forward to fake flinging it right into Akashi's face. His focus was on his opponent's eyes as they stared at the ball, awaiting the sweet look of fear from being almost smashed in the nose. So Gorou's senses were extremely thrown off when he felt the ball get jabbed out of his hand instead before it even entered his line of sight. At the angle it was struck at, the ball bounced back between his legs. In a flash, Akashi was behind him and he only turned around in time to see him score with a lay-up.

" **OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!"** The enthralling cheers that once belonged to Gorou were no longer his.

The score was now four to three and Gorou lost all faith in any other tricks he had. Whatever confidence he regained had been shattered. At this rate, Gorou was going to indisputably lose. All the tension had dissipated into thin air, leaving the audience to watch a predator slowly kill off its wounded prey.

"C'mon Gorou-Bro, you got this!" Kouta yelled as he threw the ball over to his team mate.

' _I have no choice…this is the one thing I can do that MIGHT give me a chance!'_ Gorou desperately thought.

As soon as he caught the ball, Gorou sprung upwards from the middle of the court with the might of a deer. It was something he had never done before, but counting on the grace of luck, he put everything he had into it as fast as he could. Unfortunately, just as he launched upwards to shoot, one last thought paralyzed him into the air, effectively draining all desire from him to complete his try.

' _Wait a minute…the shooting guard of the Generation of Miracles can do this._ _ **Every single time.**_ _'_ His fears became realized when he felt an empty weightlessness between his hands. _'Which means-'_

"It was foolish of you to attempt a shot I've seen _hundreds_ of times." Akashi said from behind as he ran and made his final goal, successfully winning the match.

Gorou landed his jump and simply stared at the ground with his mind in disarray. Akashi had cut the ball out of his hands before he even jumped. He had basically given him his last score.

"Unbelievable!" Someone shouted from the crowd.

"Akashi is unstoppable!" Another one yelled.

"Could it be true? _I think it is!_ Akashi can see the future!"

Most of the crowd cheered and hollered for their newfound idol. Kouta and his teammates stared at the two players on the court slack-jawed in utter bewilderment. The spite-filled high schoolers simply looked on with a hopeless shade dimming their eyes. Kenji and Aimi were wide eyed as well in their gawks. Hayami was totally speechless while her eyes quivered with shock. The Akashi she had gotten to know earlier was amazing as he was…but this "2nd Akashi" was implausibly overpowering. The more she thought about it, the more it dawned on her how unfairly gifted he was. That is, until she remembered the heavy burden that came with these gifts.

"Excluding the time it took to resume our positions, I beat you in less than two minutes." Akashi sighed. "Well now, I have quite some minutes to spare. Why don't you rectify this waste of time for me? After all, you are the mastermind behind this whole thing…" Akashi turned towards the audience and singled out a lone member with one look. "…Nakayo Kouta."


	6. Defy an Emperor

**Chapter 6- Defy an emperor**

Kouta stood dumbfounded, like a deer gazing into a set of headlights, before he regained his composure. He then shrugged his shoulders with a smug grin on his face.

"Why, I have no idea what you're talking about, Akashi-kun!"

"Everyone here knows what I'm talking about, and you're as stupid as you believe _me_ _to be_ if you think your feigning ignorance is effective" He bluntly replied. "The only thing I wonder is, when you bragged to your team about your sister meeting me today, did Gorou beg you to let him face me…or were you too cowardly to do so yourself?"

"HUH!" Kouta snapped back angrily.

Murmurs of uncertainty mumbled softly amongst the crowd. Hayami was not a part of this noise, since her mouth was covered by her hand as the situation progressively grew hostile.

 _'Please don't turn into a fight!'_ She pleaded in her mind.

"You shitty dick-sucking bastard." Kouta sneered.

"It seems that you, too, have developed quite the vocabulary for taunting your opponents. However, as we had just seen, you're nothing but loud-mouths living in a glass house." Akashi smiled as Kouta turned red with rage, knowing he was helpless to refute.

"Hey Captain, screw this kid, c'mon with me and we'll teach him the meaning of respect and power together!" Gorou yelled with a sudden surge of confidence.

Kouta looked up at him and nodded firmly while rolling up his sleeves.

"Actually, let's make things more interesting." Akashi turned towards the audience. "Is there a third player here who would like to join them?"

Immediately after Akashi asked this, Hayami and Aimi jumped in their seats.

"OH OH OH! CAN I?!" Kenji excitedly screamed.

"You may." He approved.

Kenji joyously leapt to his feet and ran to join his two other teammates on the court. The tension throughout the crowd eased a bit as his addition helped lighten up the aggressive atmosphere.

"Dude I'm so stoked, I get to play against one of the miracles!"

Kouta and Gorou didn't even have to look at each other when they simultaneously muttered "Shut up Kenji."

Akashi passed the ball to Kouta and he started dribbling.

"Shall we reset the scores before we begin?" He asked, but Kouta just laughed haughtily.

"Nah, let's keep it the same! Don't underestimate us so much… It'll be the end of _**you**_." Kouta said just before he charged forward.

Akashi instantly assumed a defensive stance, but when Kouta closed in on him, he pushed the ball backwards diagonally out of his reach. With a running head start, Kenji intercepted the ball in its path and passed Akashi out of his defensive range. Managing to score the fourth point for his side, the crowd became lively again and Akashi smiled at the start of a challenge.

The college trio soon learned that Akashi's possession of the ball was a death sentence for them. With tricky dribbling, swift cross overs and ankle breaks, nothing stopped his charge forward from the center to the hoop. However, whenever the ball was in their control, they found they could score as long as each member maintained their focus and synchronized with one another. As the crowd hollered regardless of which side scored, the points started rising back and forth, one after the other. Akashi scored his 6th point next. Then Kouta scored their 5th point. Then Akashi again with his 7th…still keeping Gorou from making any points. Then Kouta again with their 6th.

It was at this point that, for some reason, lady luck had begun to favor Kouta and his teammates. Akashi had fumbled one of his crossovers, and Gorou immediately seized the opportunity for revenge. He grabbed the ball and sprinted to the basket, only to run right into a stand-off with Akashi in front of him. He took a position that mimicked shooting the ball into the hoop, however, just as he snapped his arms out straight to shoot, Akashi burst right past him and towards Kouta standing behind him. Unfortunately, he was not fast enough to catch up in time. Gorou's fake shot was actually a pass to Kouta, and it was successful none-the-less. The crowd went absolutely wild.

Akashi was given the ball again after this, and everyone expected him to make his 3rd shot, bringing himself up to 8 points while keeping the trio at 7. So during a triple team, when Kouta jabbed the ball out of Akashi's hands and into Kenji's hold, everyone was shocked. The tide of the game was finally turning against the Miracle player. Kenji, who beat Akashi to the basket by a single step, was especially surprised. In fact, he was so surprised, that it evolved into outright disbelief which gave birth to a nagging suspicion.

"Oi, Akashi…It's not that I think you're going easy on us" Kenji spun the ball on his fingers as he thought to himself, then proceeded to laugh. "But you could'a totally stole the ball from me before I landed that score. Don't tell me…you ain't letting us **reach** _NINE points_ , are ya?"

Kouta and Gorou scowled at Akashi while he smirked to himself.

"Don't mind me." He said, holding his hand out in front of him and gently clenching it into a fist. "It's part of an experiment."

' _It's here…I can feel it. If only I knew what I needed more of…_ ' He thought to himself.

Meanwhile, what Kouta thought to himself…was an undeniable realization. _**'That fumble was no accident…This motherfucker is letting us score ON PURPOSE!'**_

The flood wall holding back waves of arrogant rage split apart inside of Kouta. Blind fury overwhelmed him and he acted upon it without second thought.

"Now now Akashi, you know what happens when you experiment with fire, right?" He spoke with a shrilling tone, like nails on a chalkboard, and with his arm raised he snapped his fingers in the manner of a mafia boss. "You get burnt!"

At that moment, the last two members of their team, one of average height with short green hair and a tall lanky player with curly brown hair, sprung off the chain-link wall. Akashi watched with a stupefied look as his 3-man opponent grew into a full-fledged team.

"Now, **let's make this interesting**!" Kouta mocked Akashi's words with a disparaging smile.

However, Akashi returned the smile without the slightest waver in his stance.

"This _may be_ interesting, Kouta, but you can hardly call this a victory."

" **Whatever!** " He yelled in reply, seething with anger and vanity, but a subtle insecurity could be heard cracking through the tip of his voice. "Kid, I'm coming at you with all I got now… _cuz you're acting like you can take it all!_ So if I gotta use everything I have to stop you, then so be it! I'll admit, you're talented alright, but I know you're type. **You HATE to lose.** So yeah, call this unfair or whatever…but in the end, you're gonna lose no matter what now. **And it's gonna bother you** _ **how unfair this sport really can be**_!"

"Y-yo, Kouta…this is stupid dude, c'mon!" Gorou tried to weasel his way out, feeling like a cheapskate. Though, in the back of his mind, he sadly knew these were the only circumstances that could give him an actual chance against Akashi once and for all. To add insult to injury, a furious glare from Kouta kept him in place too. Kenji sighed and shook his head while the last two players remained dutifully stern-faced. The audience fell silent, leaving no one to dare breaking the dead air. Only the sound of whispers softly murmured around the outer edges of the court.

"No, Akashi is right." Aimi whispered to Hayami. "For an entire team of college players to gang up on a high schooler? A first year at that…I don't care how this turns out, they've already lost in my opinion". She rightfully disdained.

"Of course, but that's how Kouta is." Hayami agreed. "As long as he wins, he doesn't care. He's just taunting the fact that despite how imbalanced the odds are, he's still going to count it as a victory without a hint of guilt."

"That's awful! All just to win a measly game, ugh!" Aimi was visibly upset at their behavior. "Well, hopefully Akashi doesn't take it to heart. He's an amazing player, I hope this game doesn't keep him down for too long"

"Well, about that…" Hayami nervously added, then began to bite her fingernails. "Doesn't Akashi…give off a cold vibe? It seems unwise to make him mad…what if this turns into a fist fight?" Hayami's voice cracked at the end of her sentence, sounding as if she was stifling tears.

Aimi turned towards her with suspicion and a somewhat fearful concern.

"Hayami-chan…it almost sounds like you're frightened of Akashi. What _were you_ doing with him earlier?" Once again, Hayami's tongue tied inside her mouth, unsure of what to say.

"I…we…" She sighed a deep breath, and released her confusion in an emotional panic. "He wasn't LIKE this earlier! He was sweet, and charming, and kind…I don't know what…what happened…" Again her voice fluttered weakly to a stop before her frustration could push out any tears.

It was a lie that she didn't know what happened, after all.

"Hey, it's ok!" Aimi put her arm around Hayami's shoulder and leaned in close to her. "Boys can get competitive. I'm sure that he just didn't want to look weak in front of you. So he put on that whole 'alpha-macho-I'll-beat-you-up-cuz-I'm-strongest' act to impress you." Hayami smiled and giggled politely to acknowledge Aimi's attempt at humor, but the ominous hold on her heart was as strong as ever. With everything that has happened between them, she knew this was no act.

Akashi's focus was intense, his concentration was palpable even by those outside of his gaze. Gorou stood up front and in the center of his team, bearing the brunt of his stare while dribbling impatiently. Although Kouta had a snide grin across his face, Gorou's expression didn't share the same sentiments. The fact his entire team was helping him defeat a kid was bothersome beyond what his pride could salvage. However, he wasn't about to object, if all of this meant winning. At least if this time, he could score against him just one more time, there will be some worth to it.

Suddenly, Akashi burst into a forward sprint. The gap between them was closing immediately, surprising Gorou and forcing him to get rid of the ball as fast as possible. He charged forward too but veered right, all the while disguising his intent to pass to Kouta to the left behind him. Unluckily, before he could consciously register it, Akashi sprinted right into the path of his pass just as he irretrievably flexed his arm.

" **Shit!** " He screamed and ran back.

He caught up, thinking he managed to block his path, but instead Akashi began dribbling in place rather than charging around him.

' _Oh hell no, this kid's gonna try and ankle break me again!_ '

As Gorou realized this, he widened his stance and planted his feet firmly. Kenji and the green haired player surrounded Akashi from behind, the curly haired player was defending the basket and Gorou could hear Kouta standing behind himself. Kouta smiled victoriously as they closed in on Akashi, feeling they had finally brought his reign of arrogance down.

It was almost sadistic how far from the truth they were.

Akashi cut the ball to his dominant hand rather hard and allowed it to bounce higher than his head. Then, as soon as it cupped into his waiting hand, without a hint or warning, he slammed it down like a strike of lightning in between Gorou's legs. His pants rustled with the gust of wind following the ball but the feeling of it just grazing the most sensitive part of his body made his blood run cold.

However, it wasn't only Gorou that nearly suffered an injury in this split-second. If Kouta, standing just behind Gorou, hadn't reacted with the reflexes of a cat, he would have suffered a massive blow to the face. The team, too shocked to react, could only watch Akashi spring with unbelievable ease off the ground and slam the ball from mid-air into a dunk. Whether it was the slam dunk he pulled off, or his intent to injure that left the Magic 8-Ball reeling…even they themselves couldn't tell. The whole event was unimaginable.

Even the audience was shaken into silence. Aimi sat with her eyes wide and both hands cupped over her mouth in shock. Hayami helplessly stuttered in disbelief until she lost her breath. Akashi, who had been hanging off the basket rim, finally dropped to the concrete court with a thud. His back was turned but his hunched shoulders and tense arms radiated signals of danger to the five players now unsure of what they got themselves into.

"Oi, Akashi, you can't be doin' stuff like that, man!" Kenji broke the silence with a thread of firmness, caution and fear in his voice. " **This isn't a joke!** Someone could have SERIOUSLY gotten hurt!" Seeing Akashi not budge at his words, he yelled with a sternness more fitting of a middle-aged adult.

" _A joke, huh?_ Would you like to hear one?" With his back still turned, Akashi picked up the basketball and spoke in a malicious, icy voice. "What happened to the poor fools who tried to defy an emperor?"

At this point, he turned around to finally face Kouta, his team, and all members of the audience. Kouta couldn't comprehend it, while the rest of his team sweat nervously under this newfound threat. Gorou himself felt his heart skip when he saw it. Something he had always yearned to achieve, a dream he had practiced ruthlessly for countless hours to one day use on a formidable enemy. Yet here stood Akashi…with magenta bolts of electricity violently thrashing from his eyes.

"THEY WERE CRUSHED TO DEATH!"

Once again the whispers quietly surrounded them.

"Akashi….is in the zone?!"

"This is unreal. He wasn't even giving his all against three people, but now this?!"

"And after that stunt he pulled with Moto and Captain Nakayo, who knows what Akashi will do next!"

Kouta was startled out of his stupor when Akashi tossed the ball into his hands. He walked back to the center of the court, passing the other players without a care, and reassumed his place in front of them. His face may have showed no emotion, but to do so would have been less threatening than the dead set focus his eyes set upon his foes. The despair of an unfairly strong carnivore cornering its defenseless prey grated upon them all.

"You've invited this situation upon yourselves, don't forget. Now…" He raised his arm in front of himself and clenched it into a fist. "…I challenge you to stop me from making 2 more goals."

Kouta's face turned red and his breathing became rough. He yelled out in anger and exploded forward, disregarding any damage he might inflict if Akashi refused to move.

"YOU LITTLE SHIIIIIIT!"

"KOUTA, STOP!" Kenji yelled from behind.

Akashi did not budge. Seeing this made Kouta even more furious and fueled his irrational train of thought. He turned his body so his free arm and shoulder were facing Akashi as he planned to tackle right through him like a football player. Akashi zoomed right into his line of sight and he prepared to bear the impact on his shoulder.

But just as Kouta's foot pushed him forward through the final step before the clash, Akashi moved out of the way with perfect synchronization. Not only did Kouta blow through a suddenly empty space, but the ball was now out of his hands as well. He managed to smash his foot down and skid to a stop to avoid falling. He spun around rabidly to the sight of the basketball in Akashi's possession.

"Let me teach you the proper way to greet me, if we should ever meet again, Kouta."

Akashi began dribbling with vision-twisting speed and dizzying maneuvers. Kouta angrily tried to match his movements, but he was unaware that his center of gravity was being manipulated. He felt wobbly on his legs and his feet were beginning to hit each other, until Akashi made a strange motion backwards…and Kouta's feet kicked into each other, dropping him to his knees like a begging peasant.

"Captain!" The two players that stood next to Kouta earlier ran towards him. Kouta was unable to hide his cringing after suffering his entire body's weight crashing onto his knees upon solid concrete. Despite his pain, he couldn't overlook the big opening it left to the basket.

"Don't leave the hoop! Gorou and Kenji alone can't—" But it was too late.

Kouta remained knelt to the sight of Gorou and Kenji falling backwards and Akashi making an easy shot through the hoop. He left the ball in their possession and walked back, a sadistic grin decorating his face as he ignored Kouta again while passing him. Then came the time for the final battle. Refusing to cheat again, Kouta whispered to his team one last desperate plan to break Akashi's streak.

The moment of truth was at hand. Akashi was still going strong in the zone while the Magic 8-Ball was more nervous than they've ever been in any official game. This became humiliatingly evident when the only strategy they had so far was to pass to each other out of Akashi's reach. Kouta had thought to do this to attempt wearing his stamina down, due to the fact that none of them could surpass Akashi as he is now. But a steal was inevitable, and he would be kidding himself to think otherwise since this was a game with no official time limit. So this artless tactic right now was simply preparation for an expected outcome. Eventually, Akashi closed in on one of them and managed to grab the ball for himself right out of their hands.

"NOW!" With the curly haired member guarding the basket, the four remaining players immediately surrounded Akashi.

"There's NO WAY you can ankle break FOUR people at a time!" Kouta confidently shouted.

. "Hmph." Akashi tilted his head up, obviously unimpressed. "There's no need to. _Three is enough._ "

He started dribbling again, cutting the ball away from every attempt made to steal it back. His footwork was quick and irregular but his body kept up flawlessly. This was all achieved without once breaking eye contact to look at the ball, reminding them all what monsters the Generation of Miracle's are. One by one, right after the other, Kouta's team mates fell around him. However, when Kenji tripped, he "accidently" fell towards Kouta and forcefully knocked him down.

"GET THE FUCK OFF ME!" He chided while shoving Kenji off.

"DON'T FUCKING PUSH ME!" Kenji angrily punched him in the arm.

Kouta furiously spun and lunged back onto Kenji as the two began to quickly exchange fists.

"HEY STOP IT! KEN-CHAN! NAKAYO-SENPAI!" Aimi screamed.

The green haired player tried to pry his two teammates apart while a few audience members simultaneously ran towards them. Only Gorou put a stop to it when he pushed Kouta off Kenji with his foot.

"You guys FUCKED UP! **LOOK!** " He pointed at the hoop, and all hope for winning became virtually hopeless.

All that was left was the curly-haired player. He was a lanky center with quick reflexes. Although his efforts in training earned him Kouta's respect, there was no outstanding talent or skill he was renowned for. So now, after seeing what Akashi had done to his four team mates, he knew he didn't stand a chance. The nearer Akashi drew to the basket, the more he slowly moved out of the way. Akashi then came to a halt and glared at him, seemingly angry at his lack of backbone.

"What's your name?" He demanded.

"H-Hino Senichi" The poor player forced himself to meekly reply.

"Senichi…" Akashi repeated his first name with the manner of a dictator.

To Senichi's surprise, Akashi passed the ball to him. He looked up, expecting Akashi to ask him to show him what he can do, to rectify his cowardly display. Despite knowing his inevitable loss, he readied himself to pull off the best last man game anyone's ever played.

" _Shoot the final goal for me."_ Akashi ordered.

"Huh?" He choked out.

At first he felt surprise, then a chill at the audacity of the command, then fear for what may happen if he disobeys.

Akashi turned around and began walking away.

' _No freakin' way, he can't expect me to—'_

" **Be aware, Senichi** …If you attempt _anything else_ …" Akashi then turned his head back towards him, the sparks of the zone flaring menacingly from his reptilian eyes. "…I **will** _take the ball back_!"

In this moment, the entirety of Hino Senichi's basketball career flashed before his eyes. He recalled how classmates in primary school all encouraged him to play due to his height, an insecurity that bothered him terribly during childhood. He remembered how painful and worthless he felt when he faced shorter opponents who dominated him at the sport that was supposed to resolve his insecurities. The worst was the envy he felt for other tall players who looked like they were born with muscles, unlike his scrawny self.

These feelings, mixed deep within him, had spawned an obsessive drive to focus on developing his skills to their sharpest degree, with an attitude to match. After years of effort poured into it, he began to relish in the increase of his victories with a newfound superiority complex. When he was recognized by the captain of the famous Magic 8-Ball, it was as if he finally met the destiny his path of struggle, pain and futility was fatefully leading him to this whole time.

Yet now, with the short, unfairly talented and muscular Akashi giving him the ball with an unreasonable demand…it's as if fate had sadistically slashed through what rewards he's earned and meaning he's found. It exposed and uprooted the shameful, insecure coward that had been buried under an undeserved façade. Akashi stood there as the incarnation of everything that Senichi despised and feared, but the haunting, violent glare in his eyes pushed him over the edge and into an abyss he had never experienced before.

The tension was unbearably thick. Each second passing was an eternity of its own. Senichi stood at the spot light of attention, stuck with two decisions with equally dreadful consequences. Finally, in this moment of misery and weakness, Senichi had forsaken what pride he managed to gain in these last few years, what honor he felt from being a part of his team, and what bravery his hard work and victories had granted him…

And threw a swift shot through his own hoop.

"OI, SENICHI!" Kouta, still on the ground and nursing his knee, burst out with rage and smashed his fist on the concrete. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

"Following orders." Akashi answered, walking towards him. "Did you forget already? _Or were you not listening earlier_ " He then stood over his defeated opponent and glared down at him. " **My orders are absolute**."

Kouta started to muster a ferocious look of piercing wrath…but soon buckled under the horrifyingly cold stare of someone that was indisputably superior to himself.

"Y-you're…you're a monster, Akashi. I don't know dude, there's something seriously wrong with you." He helplessly blurted.

"The desperate words of the vanquished mean nothing to me. Especially coming from as sore a loser as you, Kouta." Akashi then shifted his eyes and caught Gorou staring at him. "And to answer your question from earlier Gorou, here it is. _Your humiliating defeat_. Feel free to writhe in the privacy of your home, away from the disappointed eyes of your fans here."

It was at this point that everything leading up to this moment finally collapsed onto Gorou's mind. He could feel the painful shame of losing in such a manner pulling his spirit into a darkness that wouldn't let him go for a while to come. Yet Akashi was ruthless, delivering a final blow as he was walking away.

"All things considered, you all should recognize how fortunate you actually are"

"Fortunate?!" Gorou jeered.

"Yes." Akashi turned his head back one last time. "You are lucky that not a single person here filmed this pathetic game. Can you imagine how terribly your reputations would suffer if the world had seen your team get demolished by a first year?"

' _Shit, he's right!'_ Kouta thought to himself. _'Truth is, I ordered everyone NOT to videotape us cuz I planned to let Gorou and I go all out and destroy Akashi, no matter how brutal it got…but now this happened. Heh, how fucking ironic.'_

Akashi was making his way towards the exit of the court. As he passed by the varying members of the audience, he noted that not a single one of them dared to look him in the eye. However, just as he was about to finally leave, one person from the crowd did manage to speak up.

"Akashi-kun!" The voice timidly called out.

With the last of his expectations fulfilled, he turned around and acknowledged her.

"Nakayo Hayami" He said while she looked back at him, her face contorted with uncertainty and fright. "I'm sure by now _you_ have an idea as to what's going on, so to you I'll say this…"

Hayami's worried expression slowly morphed into a blatant glare of suspicion.

"What you saw earlier today…was an after-image in its fading moments" He declared.

"Huh?!" An icy shock coated her body.

"You spoke with an echo as it slowly dies out."

She could feel her breathing quicken alongside her racing heart. He had just confirmed that he has a split personality AND that he's aware of it…but to hear him refer to his original self so cruel and harshly was unbearable.

"N-No! DON'T SAY THAT!" She begged of him.

"And so we're clear, there will be NO need for resuscitation of any sort." He began to smile, achieving nothing but a minacious vibe. "In this world, the winners are validated completely, and the losers are denied everything. _I_ simply do what it takes to win. _**He**_ …couldn't handle it" He paused to add emphasis on exactly who he was referring to, effectively breaking Hayami's heart.

"No, Akashi-kun PLEASE, that…that can't be true!" She pleaded.

"Why not? After all, as you had just admitted yourself when referring to me now…" He opened his eyes wide and stared deeply into hers until his following words carved themselves into a permanent scar like an unforgettable nightmare. " _I am Akashi Seijuro_ "

The memory of the sweet Akashi she once had just shattered, replaced by the distorted image of a soulless reflection. Hayami could no longer hold it in. All the strangers around meant nothing to her at the moment…the will-powered wall that held her emotions back cracked into pieces and overwhelmed her uncontrollably.

"Hayami-chan, what's wrong?!" Aimi shot up from her seat and hugged Hayami, pulling her crying face into her chest, trying her best to comfort her while she sobbed aloud.

" **HEY!** " Gorou screamed at Akashi but it was to no avail. _'This asshole…did he get with Nakayo just to fuck with Kouta?'_ In response to this thought, he turned to his captain. "Dude, he made your sister cry! You're just gonna let him walk?"

"Gorou, to be honest, I really don't fucking care right now" Kouta said, defeat and exhaustion bringing a rough hoarseness to his voice. He winced as he brushed his bloody knees of the dirt rubbed in when he fell. He then looked over at Hayami crying and sighed. "Anyway…What _did he_ do to her? Their conversation made no sense…"

To that question, no one had the slightest clue. They could only wonder aimlessly as Akashi disappeared out of their sights in the distance.


	7. Something I Can Do

**A/N- Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. I ended up catching a cold (when it actually felt like spring, go figure). Thus, it became quite difficult to work (both on my story, as well as my job) when I was under four layers of comforters and refused to expose anything below my neck to the outside world. Anyway, those who stuck with me thus far, thank you for reading, and I hope you continue to enjoy what's to come!**

 **Ch. 7- Something only I can do**

Hayami sat through dinner staring down at her plate while hardly moving. She gave short, quite replies to any questions her parents asked about her day. Kouta had excused himself by stating he had no appetite and Hayami wished she had done the same, despite how suspicious it would have seemed. Her older sister, Yume, was doing business in another city and was not here to add to the unwanted interview, to which Hayami was thankful. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, but one look at it and she shoved it back in out of sight. It was Yume, obviously calling to ask how her "date" today had gone.

It felt like forever before all the food on her plate had been dutifully eaten. She then washed her dish and excused herself to her room. Her parents reluctantly bid their goodnights and decided it best to leave her be until she felt comfortable opening up. She changed into her pajamas and laid on her side in bed while hugging a pillow.

' _I don't even know what I'm feeling right now. What emotion is this? Is it sadness? Concern? Fright? Sympathy? Frustration?'_

She pushed her face into the pillow and groaned out loud, acknowledging that last one. Either way, she was too worked up to actually fall asleep. She decided to steady her thoughts and get whatever feeling it was off of her chest any way that she could. She walked over to her computer, sat down and thought for a few hard moments, before typing in Split Personality Disorder.

The first result was a credible looking page entitled "Dissociative Identity Disorder." She clicked on the link and studied it for a bit. It clearly stated in its opening paragraph that such a disorder is "theorized to be the result of severe trauma, usually from early childhood, of a physical, sexual or emotional nature." Reading this made Hayami feel a grave discomfort, but that did not stop the urge to dig deeper. She sat back in her chair and re-played everything she knew of Akashi up to this point. For the moment, whether or not it was accurate, she felt better crossing out sexual abuse as a possibility.

' _So, could it have been physical…or emotional?_ ' She thought to herself.

She tried to balance out both scenarios in her head and match it to Akashi's present state and see which connection seemed more plausible. Unfortunately, she did not have enough information about him to work on and her train of thought fizzled out. Giving up on playing doctor for now, she pondered other ways she could get information on Akashi if she really wanted to pursue this mystery. Putting thought into this matter suddenly gave rise to another important consideration.

' _Does anyone else know he has a split personality?'_

Various fictional images of fellow classmates, teachers, basketball teammates, coaches, friends if any, and family members reeled through her mind. She reminded herself that she, exclusively, had an exceptional effect on Akashi. Thus the best factor to consider was which of these people interact with Akashi long enough to get a feel for both contrasting personalities. Which also begs the question: how long has Akashi been this way?

' _The most likely candidate would be his father in this respect…and there's no way_ _ **he's**_ _noticed it. Definitely. I can't imagine a Father knowing his son has such a problem and refuse to seek treatment. In fact, if his father is as strict as Akashi-kun described him, then the "current Akashi" must be the ideal son for him. The perfect child that he's_ _ **always…wan..ted**_ _.'_ Hayami's thoughts slowed down to a halt.

"Almost like…he's responsible for making the current Akashi as he is." Hayami said aloud, knowing she had a piece to the puzzle, but didn't know where to go with it. "Ugh. If only his mother was still here!"

She sulked in frustration, disappointed by the fact that the one person who meant so much to him had passed away.

' _Poor Akashi-kun, to lose his mother at such a young age'_ She thought to herself, a vision of Akashi as a child manifesting in her mind, the horror and disbelief on his little face depressing her.

" **Severe trauma, usually from early childhood"** The wordsshe had read earlier flashed before her eyes and she shot up from her chair and slammed her hands on her desk.

' _No, it can't be that simple. For a child to lose a parent is unfathomably tragic, but surely it's not enough to split someone's_ _ **mind in half!**_ _'_ She thought this to herself, but the vision she just had continued its course, as if she subconsciously connected the dots and her mind was trying to show her the answer.

Akashi as a child, emotionally torn at the death of his mother, filled with anguish, agony and grief…and then it hit her. Her eyes swelled with tears until they spilled out and ran over her hand covering her mouth, stifling sobs. The vision of Akashi denied the right to grieve at his father's orders. The countless nights he wept into his pillow, desperately imagining it to be his mother, before forcing these feelings into oblivion by daylight.

How many times had he wished, prayed and begged to know why she had to be taken from him…only to be forcibly shut down into the cold, emotionless savant that was expected of him. Demanded from him, at the dictatorial commands of his father! All the days that his torrential screams of forsaken despair remained inside himself, silent to the world, until finally his second personality assumed total control against his own will. Suffering such a terrifying experience alone and with no one to turn to.

' _That is definitely abuse!'_ She screamed in her head. _'And if this had been ongoing for years, it was only a matter of time before a catalyst finally snapped him.'_

A fragile little boy, broken into two pieces, and the one that was encouraged and rewarded most raised to the top. And now, that second personality is oppressing the original one until he can fade away eternally. This realization pissed Hayami right off. Suddenly, another memory popped into her mind.

She had a flashback of when Akashi had told her: "There's…something you should know…. about me" and the goosebumps she felt following that.

' _Could he, the_ _ **real**_ _Akashi, have wanted to tell me about this? If so, then he's conscious of what had happened to him too. Which means…He trusted me enough to tell me.'_ It dawned on Hayami that she may be one of a select few people, if not the only one, that knows the truth about Akashi. She clenched her fist hard and made a vow to herself, extending it to the real Akashi. "I promise, I will NOT betray your trust! I will do everything I can to help bring you back!"

Blinded by rage and determination, she burst out of her room and stomped down the hallway without a plan or even an idea. Due to this, her will began to subside with each step and questioning thoughts sprouted randomly in her mind.

' _Why am I bothering? I have no obligation towards him. I'll go this far for a simple crush? I don't even know the "real him" that well. It's arrogant to think that I can change anything in a matter this serious.'_ To these thoughts she came to a halt and pondered. The logic to put this all behind her was objective and sound…but her heart ached at the thought of stopping here and now.

' _Maybe it is arrogant of me, and perhaps I don't owe him anything…but this all can't be just a coincidence! This is more than just saving some boy that I like! I've never met anyone so talented, so extraordinarily gifted! I may be the only person in the world who knows about this, and that is NOT arrogance, that is a very real possibility. If I don't do something, no, if I don't do everything that I can…the phenomenal odds, capable only at the hands of the prodigy that Akashi-kun is, will wither away into nothingness in whatever hospital they institutionalize him in!'_

With this in mind, she steeled her will once again and knocked on Kouta's door. Still without a clue, she proceeded forth with whatever felt right, hoping her thoughts would come together by action rather than thinking.

"Come in!" At the sound of her brother's voice, she felt like the answer was right in front her but she had yet to see it.

She opened the door to Kouta rolling a basketball around on the floor while staring intently at his laptop. She made her way towards him with a slow, cautioning stride to see what he was watching.

"We didn't stand a chance." Was all he said.

"Huh?" His sudden words caught her off guard, until he turned his laptop around to show her what was on his screen.

"Look at this…they're all monsters. Every one of them. But HIM! They all listen to, no…they _obey_ him. And that smile on his face!"

Hayami couldn't help but let out a sad sigh. Akashi stood proud before his teammates, accepting the championship award for a basketball game played the year before. Above everyone's heads in the video was the score board. The score read 111 to 11.

"I'm telling you, there's something WRONG with that kid." He grabbed her attention. "Something really IS NOT normal with him. I mean, straight A+'s in all his subjects, **not a single** disapproval of his appointment as captain at Rakuzan. RAKUZAN! If I had just done a bit of research beforehand rather than assuming so egotistically, I would have known…how useless it would have all been." Hayami was shocked to hear Kouta speak with such deference, with no attempt to hide the vulnerable wound in his pride.

' _Could he have…finally had a change of heart?'_

"I'm impressed, Onii-san. To recognize your faults, and even better to admit them, rather than rationalizing them away." She encouraged.

"Yeah, I've been one cocky son-of-a-bitch alright. I guess this is what I deserve." He admitted as well.

"Well, you may have been ultra-smug at times. A lot of times. In fact, most times—"

"But?!" He interrupted her.

"But…you're still great at what you do. I've seen you over the years, Onii-san, and you have definitely earned every award you received and every interview that magazine's excitedly begged you for!" She knelt down next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "I never approved of your arrogance, but it was hard to talk you out of something that had numerous results supporting it. So in a way, perhaps this is for the best. To meet someone better than you, so you can see what heights are there waiting for you to reach!"

"No, it's exactly because of that…" Kouta shook her hand off his shoulder, stood up and kicked the basketball outside of his room. "I'm quitting. Fuck basketball!"

Hayami was struck with a terrifying emptiness gaping in her heart, as if something just now had gone awfully wrong.

"I always thought everyone had an equal chance at winning, and that our status, skills and talents were all a matter of circumstance. With that in mind, I always figured that being the best, rising to the top, was possible as long as I decoded the playing field, calculated the advantages and faults available to me and my competitors then realizing the best answer before anyone else could act on it…that there was always a strategy. And if I needed to exercise more, study more, and train more to pull it off, then so be it in the name of victory. But after facing that kid, A FREAKING KID, I had never felt more hopeless in my life. In anything I've ever done! There was absolutely NOTHING I could have done to change things in the slightest! I was at his mercy like a newborn lamb under a rabid lion."

Hayami knew she had to act fast.

"B-but Akashi-kun…I mean ALL of the Generation of Miracles are an exception, aren't they?"

"No, they're a reality check. Everyone wants to be the best, but what the hell is the point when there is ALWAYS going to be people who are just BETTER THAN YOU in every way!? You can even see it with the Miracles! They all joined different schools with different teams, and y'know why? I will BET our family's life savings that it's so they can duke it out on the court…and find out which of them is best among themselves!" Kouta scoffed to himself. "And they said that we're all the same, no matter what. Yeah freakin' right!"

At that moment, an old, long-forgotten memory resurfaced itself in Hayami's mind. It played in her head in crisp clarity, as if the years it remained untapped and dormant meant nothing. Kouta had gotten into a fight with a classmate of his in elementary school. Hayami had just been picked up from her daycare, which is the reason she was there to witness everything. Apparently Kouta had consistently been losing to his classmate in gym class and threw a violent fit over it, claiming that as a child of higher status it should be him who triumphs. Normally the consequences for such would have been a severe reprimanding, however, since it was the son of Nakayo Hiroshi…

The incident was essentially overlooked, and Kouta was forced to transfer schools. Though, before he was transferred, the principal bid his farewell to Kouta, and it was this that Hayami was present for. The details eluded her but she did remember the words imparted upon Kouta from one of the most supreme of all childhood authority figures:

"You are no different than your fellow students. You, I, all of us are the same. There is no stronger, just more exercise. There is no smarter, just more study. There is no better, just more practice. Each of us are special, Nakayo-kun, because we are all the same. So please, remember this, and you will see that anyone can be the best. There is no reason to be upset if someone else surpasses you, because it hardly matters. Each of us will get our time to be the greatest, then this must be passed on. What is most important, is that you believe in yourself! From there, greatness will be achieved most often."

Thinking back on it, Hayami doubted if the principal actually meant every word he said. It seemed more like an excuse designed to calm a rich spoiled child without bursting his ego. The grains of potential wisdom were unfortunately muddled by over-cautious euphemisms. Due to that, the rich spoiled child filtered his words through his own biased lenses and used them to formulate a distorted world view. His words sounded wise and made all who hear it feel nice and fluffy inside, but their impractical and unrealistic values planted its ugly fruits.

"Onii-san" She quietly started. "Tell me, does a freeloader who spends their time usurping the efforts of hard working, sympathetic people, instead of using that time to develop themselves, the same as you? Do they really deserve to be compared to you as your equal, after the innumerable hours of exhausting effort you've spent improving your body and mind?"

He looked at her surprised, then turned away with a fed up snicker.

"Like I said, it's a matter of circumstance. We started off the same, but different circumstances out of our control and the choices we make from them pushed us in different directions. In the end, we're both products of our journey."

Hayami chuckled to herself, finally understanding what her brother has convinced himself of for all these years.

"Well now, that's a good way to make everything you've ever done WORTHLESS! It's no wonder you've been so nasty. You think that circumstances alone are what make or break us? They're not. It is the strength of our will which is tested in trying times that determine the outcome of a situation. I'll admit, there is truth in what you're saying…but I feel that it's an incomplete perspective. After all, you're so caught up in justifying everything around you to your outlook that, in the process, you demoralize yourself and all your hard-earned achievements! What pride can you truly have in yourself when you're convinced it's nothing special?"

"I never said it WASN'T special to me!"

"Yeah, you use the word…but do you really mean it? In fact, you know what I learned today? It's that we all embody different sorts, different levels of quality in varying spheres of life. This may be the opposite of E-quality, where "all quality is the same"…but this is what gives us pride! Knowing we are genuinely unique in what we do! If we are all equal in the way you say, Onii-san, then there truly would be nothing special or unique about any of us. You can't have true equality and true diversity at the same time. Just the equal right to the opportunity to express and develop ourselves. From this opportunity, our differences shine bright and proudly!"

"So I should take pride in the fact that there are people naturally better than me, no matter how hard I try!?" Kouta angrily snapped.

"Stop doing that! Yes, there are "naturals" and "geniuses" in every field you can think of, but that's all part of something higher that we have no control over or say in. There are girls that are prettier than me and can dance better than I'll ever be able to…does that stop me from enjoying what I do? No-"

"You're basically saying that ignorance is bliss! That despite knowing there are people who are better than you, you just ignore their superior existence. Once you realize that, you have to ask yourself at some time WHATS THE POINT!? Now _tell me!_ What if there's someone out there who just sucks at EVERYTHING? What if there's a _basketball player_ who can't shoot or dribble to save his life, and the best he can do is smack the ball around to his superior teammates who score the way he wishes to every time? What if he TRIES HIS BEST…and can never BE the best? Tell me then, WHAT IS THE POINT!?"

Hayami stood up from the floor, marched over in front of her brother, and yelled right in his face.

"The point is to STOP LOOKING AT EVERYONE ELSE AND TAKE A GOOD DAMNED LOOK IN THE MIRROR! Yes, I understand it's painful for you to admit that there are skills, talents and abilities out in this world that are forever beyond your grasp! No matter how hard you try, there are heights you can never reach! That is the reality you have to face! But truth be told, if you somehow managed to obtain the unobtainable…you couldn't handle the responsibilities and power that come along with it. That's why, if you truly strive to be the best that _YOU can be_ , regardless of those higher than you, then you have **risen above** the quality of some _interchangeable body_ among an _indistinguishable mass_. As of now, Onii-san, you made something of yourself and assigned your own personal value to the world of basketball, and when you take dads place, you will do the same to television! But you're only as irreplaceable as you make yourself to be! What would mean more to the world? You being the best of all things ever? Or you being the _best you can be_ for what you do, and in the process, inspiring others to strive for the same? I can't honestly believe that someone who tries their hardest is, at worst, worthless in every sense. Yes, some people are extraordinarily gifted, like Akashi-kun, but you never, no, NO ONE ever stops to think about the effort or sacrifices that those people have suffered through to become as amazing as they are! You can do things I can't, I can do things you can't, and they can do things we both can't. It's all part of a natural balance!"

As the words flowed out of Hayami with intuitive effortlessness, she realized that these had been feelings pent up over the course of years. Watching Kouta and her sister in their respective fields and witnessing their failures and successes. Listening to all the stories her parents came home to tell each other. The brunt of envious girls she had experienced and the same envy she felt when watching her role models dance nimbly with unbelievable ease. Then finally earlier today, getting to know the prodigy that is Akashi Seijuro. Remembering him, she couldn't help but let an insecure play on her own words rear its ugly head in her thoughts.

' _What if another girl, who was prettier and a better dancer than me, was at the gala that night…would he have seen her as his mother's wish instead? But if so…would she have endured the horrid arrogance of his split personality, and even agree to a date? If so, would she have followed him to the basketball court finally knowing he had a split personality? Even if so…would she vow to do everything she could to save the original Akashi-kun from the internal tyranny of his second self? Or would she have given up at the first step. Is this all just a perfectly fitting coincidence…or fate?'_

She closed her eyes as the futility of the question.

' _Y'know what? It doesn't matter. I'm the one whose here now.'_ She put her insecurities to rest.

Kouta had been staring at Hayami after her outburst. His heart wavered back and forth between the impact from her words, and the belief's he's held for almost his whole life. It was his spite for Akashi that tipped the teetering scale onto the latter's side.

"I think that kid's _superiority complex_ has gotten to you, Hayami."

"It's not a complex. He is superior, and in many ways. Physically, mentally, intellectually, strategically…he is a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy. And he's earned it too, through unimaginable effort that would make a normal person cower at the mere thought. He's even superior to you, Onii-san, and not just at basketball, but as a person overall. He doesn't overflow with arrogance, he's sweet, and poetic at times, and—"

" **Whoa** , hold up, what the _fuck did you just say?"_ Kouta scolded.

Hayami was startled at first but soon realized the grave mistake she just committed.

" _ **Really**_? You think he's _sweet_?! _P-Poetic_? What _THE HELL_ is wrong with you? You saw what he did!"

"I-I…uh, meant when he's not angry…he can actually…be qu…quite…" Hayami had been too preoccupied with her and Kouta's overdue argument. Mixed with the fact that "Akashi" in her mind does not refer to his other half, and she refuses it to do so, she had forgotten what "Akashi" actually means to Kouta.

Yet here it was, the epiphany of Akashi's truth all crashing down on her suddenly once again. Her breathing became quick and irregular and she could feel her face contorting. A downpour of tears were about to burst from her eyes and she had no idea how to follow up on her slip-up in front of Kouta.

"Be quite WHAT? Really Hayami, I'm freaking interested, cuz I wasn't kidding when I said that kid has a serious problem! He's got the eyes of someone willing to kill, and I'm not exaggerating by saying that! Look me in the eyes and tell me he won't stab you in the face if you piss him off…and you say he's superior to me because he's…. _ **SWEEEEET?!**_ ARE YOU TRYING TO PISS ME OFF?!"

"NO!" Hayami screamed, just on the verge of tears.

"Then what the hell is it? Why the hell are you trying to sympathize with someone who _made you cry_ and _humiliated me_? What EXCUSE do you possibly have? I swear Hayami, this better be freaking good, otherwise I don't wanna see your face for the rest of the-"

"IT'S BECAUSE HE HAS A SPLIT PERSONALITY!" She yelled, feeling both a weight lifting off her heart and an immediate sense of regret.

Kouta's face completely fumbled and his anger instantly dissipated, overcome by utter confusion.

"W-what? What are you talking about, that's nonsense. You're kidding, right?"

"I'm not!" It was all Hayami could say, in a weak voice, before the falling tears choked her from speaking any further, disabling any words to fit through her crying.

Kouta walked over to her and dutifully embraced his younger sister, pulling her face into his chest so she could let it all out. The way her cries vibrated into his chest as her warm tears moistened his shirt, it made Kouta realize how long it had been since he's played his role as her older brother. His selfishness dawned on him in this moment stronger than at any point before. He pulled her in a little closer and let a sincere brotherly affection convey his realization. In return, she gave him a tight, almost desperate hug back. After reconnecting with his sister, he began to think about what had led them to this moment.

' _Akashi Seijuro…has a split personality, huh?'_

With this in mind, the conversation he overheard earlier made more sense.

 _"What you saw earlier…was an after-image in its fading moments." "You spoke with an echo as it slowly dies out."_

Kouta's eyes hardened at this memory. _'So he admitted it to her? Well, it's not like someone as smart as her wouldn't have noticed anyway…'_

He was already re-evaluating his core beliefs, which was intense enough as it was. Now come to find he had battled a real life Mr. Hyde in the flesh, it seemed that all reality around him was unraveling. Hayami pulled her face off his chest. Her cheeks were flushed and her red eyes looked just as soaked as her sniffling nose sounded.

"He's an amazing person, Onii-san, you have to believe me. He was so smart, humble and caring…but then Moto-kun showed up and was being such an asshole…and then Akashi-kun snapped and acted like a totally different person. It was scary!" Hayami plopped the side of her face onto her brother's chest, while he held her in place and stroked her head. "He did the same thing at the Gala as well. I _literally_ might be the first one to see the real Akashi-kun in a long time…and we might be the only ones who actually know about this. Everyone else probably thinks he's spoiled and rich…but it's not that! I'm scared…but I feel so bad for him! That's why I feel…that there's something that I have to do. Something only I can do!

"Like…what? I'm sorry, but in all seriousness, what can you do for someone like this? Be realistic here, Hayami, is there really anything you can do? Or are you setting an unrealistic expectation for yourself?" Kouta carefully tried to warn her.

Suddenly, thinking back to the fictional fantasy girl of her own insecurities, Hayami had one final thought to settle her worries.

' _Even if this non-existent girl did vow to do all that she could…even if she would follow through with everything else…what were the chances that she has an older brother proficiently skilled in basketball too? A captain of a popular team none-the-less? The answer, in the end, is simple: This is all something that I, and I exclusively, can do.'_

She knew this now, beyond all doubt, but even more importantly…the last piece of the puzzle had shown itself and revealed the golden key of opportunity.

"No, there IS something I can do. That's why I can't let you quit…not yet at least. I need you to teach me how to play."

"Huh…Why?" Kouta jerked his head back in confusion.

She ran outside, picked up the ball he kicked out earlier, and walked back in with pure determination washing away all sorrow and sadness on her face. Then, with a will of steel and fire, using her brother's bedroom as a stage, she proudly proclaimed aloud to the world:

"So I can defeat Akashi Seijuro at basketball!"


	8. Even If They Are My Parents

**Chapter 8- Even If They Are My Parents**

Hayami looked at her phone and confirmed that a full minute had actually passed. For a moment, she was impressed at how long one minute really could feel when a person is forced to endure its length. She began to tap her foot even louder than she had been but found it had no effect at all. She sighed aloud in defeat.

"It wasn't _that_ funny"

Kouta, sprawled out weakly on the floor, had been laughing hysterically the whole time until he was breathless and red in the face.

"But you were so serious…when you said…you'll beat Akashi at basketball…" He choked out between giggles while trying to push himself up. His elbows began to shake, but after a few futile seconds, they finally buckled under a new wave of uncontrollable laughter.

"And that look of determination in your eyes!" Again his hyena-rivaling guffaws reverberated around his room. Hayami rolled her eyes at him.

*AHEM* She cleared her throat for his attention. Kouta sat up and calmed himself down, little remnants of giggles slipping through as he wiped tears from his eyes.

"Ah, ok ok, I'm sorry. It's just…" He took a deep breath to bury that tiny urge to start laughing again deep within himself. "Akashi is ten times…no, A _HUNDRED_ times better than I'd ever be in my prime moments! Now…I'm not exactly saying _you suck_ …" He stared at her intently to impress his words upon her. "But you _don't even_ _ **play**_ basketball. So, enlighten me on your plan to defeat him?"

Hayami reminisced Akashi's touching confession when they had danced together on the night of the gala. The plan she had in mind was simple, but it was due to that memory she had no doubt that it was most definitely possible. If she, his 'mothers wish', shared a moment with him during the sport his mother imparted unto him…then perhaps she could awaken the real Akashi. After that, she knew it would be smooth sailing from there.

"Well… I figured he'd go easy on me" She thoughtlessly chirped.

"HE NEARLY TOOK OUT GOROU'S NUTS WITH A BASKETBALL! HOW CAN YOU EXPECT SOMEONE LIKE _THAT_ TO GO EASY ON YOU?!"

Hayami simply glared back at him.

"…I'm not Moto-kun."

Kouta raised a finger but slowly dropped it back down. Through her eyes and tone of voice, she communicated to Kouta all that he needed to know.

"I'm not some jerk on a power trip, bent on degrading and ruining Akashi…is what you're saying?"

"Yup!" She replied with a happy nod.

"Fine, fine, I get it. So, I'm happy to help you and all…but seriously, what do you want me to teach you?"

"Just practice with me and give me tips for improvement. After all, just because you met someone 100 times better, doesn't mean your victories as the Magic 8-Ball's Captain were meaningless. You are undeniably great at what you do. Just watch, the next time you meet with your team, they're going to look up to you for what to do after what happened today. You're going to have to rekindle their spirits. But you have to start with yourself, and what better way to do so than seeing how great you can make a complete amateur?"

Kouta contemplated for a few seconds, before his cheeks slowly blushed and were followed by the crack of a smile. He then pat Hayami on her head and rubbed her hair around.

"Alright! Let's get started!" He then hopped onto his feet and started towards the door, leaving Hayami confused.

"Wait…right now, _right now_?"

"Yup!" He mimicked her happy nod. "Ain't a time like the present! Plus…" He smiled with a mock sinister grin. "If you're truly serious about this, were gonna have to use every free second we have available to us."

Hayami bounced up to her feet.

"Just let me get changed, and I'll meet you outside!"

In less than five minutes, Hayami zipped past her parents conversing at the dinner table and joined Kouta outside. Therein, they had a paved lot and an adjustable basketball hoop standing between their two garage doors. Before they started though, Kouta did request to hear a more thorough explanation of everything. Hayami then proceeded to tell all that she could, from how she reminds Akashi of his mother, how she realized he has a split personality and why, and anything else relevant. Kouta listened intently the whole time and analyzed the information carefully in his mind.

"Ok, I think I understand. The only chance you have at 'beating' Akashi is if you're right about striking a personal chord inside him. That way he'll take it easy on you. However, despite how he feels about you, I honestly don't think you'll get through to him that easily. It can't just be lip service when you say you're going to have to do everything possible, maybe even _more than_ _that_ , to 'speak his language'. Ya get what I mean? In other words, I'll help you get a gist of the fundamentals, but how much you master is up to your efforts, skills and unfortunately… your talents. Some people just aren't cut out for some things, ya know? Lucky for you, of course, since you're related to me…I wouldn't be surprised if you became a star by morning!"

At his corny joke, Hayami whacked him lightly on the shoulder…then darted in closely to quickly give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, Onii-chan!" Kouta began blushing and stuttering uncomfortably.

"Uh…y-y-yeah. Sure thing."

*2 Weeks Later*

Not a single day had been spent idly. The Nakayo siblings had dedicated all spare time they had to practicing with each other. Kouta ideally preferred a month's worth of training, but Hayami wanted this executed as quickly as possible. Her reason being that she did not want too much time to pass from the original Akashi's re-surfacing, fearing that more time just buried him deeper. Even so, despite the short amount of time, Kouta was proudly astonished at his sister's rate of progress. Her years of ballet had made her body no stranger to strenuous physical training.

"I think I'm _REALLY_ getting a feel for it!" She bubbled with pride.

"You've _definitely_ improved!" Kouta replied bewildered. "I'm being serious here, I'm gonna honestly start incorporating some ballet exercises into the 8-ball training regime. If I can get my boys moving like this, there'll definitely be obvious headway."

Hayami shot her third basket in a row and turned towards Kouta.

"Isn't that a good way to make them hate you? Don't guys think that ballet is super girly?"

"I don't care. When they see the results, they'll understand!" He replied while bookmarking ballet exercises on his phone.

"Did you at least time me?!"

"Huh? Oh…um…" He paused for a few seconds. "No."

"Ugh, Onii-san!" Hayami was designated to dribble through a make-shift obstacle course he set up without fumbling and make a shot, only to repeat it at a quicker pace.

"It doesn't matter, I can tell you beat your last record just by watching."

"Still though!" She sounded like she was pouting, but failed to contain her smile.

"So how's your little move coming along?" Kouta raised an eye brow.

" _That_ , I know for sure I got down!" She gleefully bragged.

"Oooh? _Okay then_ …" His bared his teeth with a challenging grin. "Show me."

Kouta assumed a position between Hayami and the basket as she began dribbling. She had put a lot of thought into how to incorporate ballet into a move to impress Akashi with. Once she had an idea in mind, she used as much private time as she could into perfecting it into something practical. She had mastered it long before this moment, but Kouta standing before her now would be the first time she's actually used it on someone. Not to mention on an experienced player…she could not have asked for anything better.

She faked charging to one side to see how fast her brother would react and, as expected, he was following her movements like a reflection. She smiled knowingly and prepared herself, for the next time around was going to prove how effective her efforts up until now have really been. She crossed the ball to her left hand and faked a charge in the same direction. Ignoring Kouta blocking her supposed path, she used the momentum of the leftward cross to propel herself into a one-foot spin. Her body twisted fast into a smooth twirl, the ball of her foot gliding in a circular motion atop the flat pavement.

Kouta stood baffled as his sister suddenly broke out into a classic ballet move as the ball remained cupped in her left hand. Her body just kept going and going and going, the force from each turn building into her momentum. Then, in the blink of an eye and the sound of a thud…she was behind him dribbling away. The image of what happened lasted no longer than a mere flash, so it took a few seconds for it to make sense to him. While Hayami was twirling, she used the momentum to toss the ball between his legs before striking her foot flat at a calculated moment to leap right by him. Since her body was accustomed to rapid changes in pace, she was confident enough that no one would think to react in time to such a dizzying move. Kouta had just become aware of the gust of wind blowing against him before realizing he had to stop her. However, by this point, he only turned around just to see Hayami shoot the ball through the hoop. This was followed by a solo frenzy of cheers from her that only a group of people could rival.

"G…Good Job! That was awesome, Hayami! What was that?" He asked in astonishment.

"It's a mix of a pirouette en pointe and a stag leap. Where you spin then leap into your partners arms." Hayami proudly explained. "Do you really think it's good?"

"Absolutely! You totally have the element of surprise in your favor, and it's perfectly acceptable in the informal rules of streetball."

Hayami smiled to herself and picked up the basketball, staring affectionately as if she could speak to the original Akashi through it.

' _I'm coming. Just wait for me, and please…hold on. Don't let go just yet!'_ She said in her heart.

"Hayami"

Kouta interrupted her but when she looked up at him, she could see he was deep in thought.

"…Don't let Akashi know you can do that." He finally said and looked up at her, right into her eyes, with a glare of deep seriousness. "If you get him to go easy on you, let him do so as if you are a complete beginner. As in, utterly inexperienced. You can definitely use that move for the final shot _IF_ _he does_ go easy on you…otherwise just don't bother. You are to save that move _exclusively_ for when you are a hundred percent ONE STEP AWAY from winning, do you understand me? That is your only chance, because anything else WILL fail. Especially if he uses his Emperor Eye on you…" He then put on a cocky grin to ease the atmosphere. "You can consider it your own personal trump card!"

Reminiscing on various magical girl anime's she had seen as a kid, Hayami's eyes glittered with joy at the thought of having her very own trump card.

"You can call it…the Jack-in-the-box! Cuz you, like, wind up and then pop!" Kouta suggested.

"Ha ha ha _**no**_. Rather instead, how about…the Swan's Stride?"

"OH! How about…Angry Goose? Just imagine that for a moment: 'Hey Akashi-kun, feast your eyes on my ANGRY GOOSE!' 'Wait, what?!' And then you squawk when you pass him."

"Yeah, I'm liking Swans Stride better."

Hayami sighed to herself in mock shame, then looked up at the sunlit sky. It was roughly 5 pm, so the fiery brilliance blazing alight the clouds undersides was going to darken in a few hours. It was a Friday so club activities should still be on-going, which includes basketball. If she didn't seize the opportunity now, she would have to wait two more days for after-school activities to resume. However, she felt that the day before the weekend was the best option overall. She had also mapped out a route to Rakuzan High School out of curiosity for when the time would come. Now, at this moment, whether or not this would be the time rested entirely in her hands.

"Onii-san…do you think I'm ready?"

Kouta looked at his younger sister, seeing her in a new light that struck him with the maturity he hadn't fully noticed her grown into until now.

"Physically and skill wise, you're as good as you're gonna get given our time frame. However, if you have the slightest doubt or insecurity in your mind…then you might as well wait until you overcome those—"

"No."

Hayami cut him off, knocking him backwards in surprise with her abruptness. She then turned around to him and looked through him with an intensity that, for a moment, he was envious for having never experienced.

"I have _no_ doubts. **At all**. If I don't do this…then who knows what will become of Akashi-kun. I'll be damned if I fail to accomplish something I know I can do if I give it everything that I've got!"

Kouta smiled admirably, walked over to her, and rubbed her hair into her head.

"That's my little sister!"

She shook his hand off and skipped over to her purse. Her heart raced with excitement as she finally set forth to meet Akashi once again. Every step she took weighed with the heavy task she has taken upon herself. In all reality, this is the most significant and life-changing of affairs she has ever been involved in. She walked forth upon the mysterious path of the unknown and embraced the unfathomable possibilities yet to come, holding closest to her heart the one she hoped most to bring to life. All of a sudden, a tight grip closed around her wrist. She turned around to see Kouta with a worried look on his face.

"Hayami! ...Whatever you do, please…" His eyes shook with concern as he tried to find the right words. "Just please… _stay safe_. I'll believe what you say about who Akashi 'really is'…but the guy that I faced off on that court…he really does give me a _dangerous_ vibe. So, just be careful."

Hayami turned back one last time and placed her hand over her older brothers.

"I know, and I will. _He_ gives me a bad vibe too."

The echoes of basketballs hitting the ground grew louder as she approached Rakuzan's gym. The door was conveniently open for her to peer inside, presumably to let the air breeze through. Sticking her head through the door, she pierced through a wall of sweat and body odor. Dozens of young sporty men all engaged in ruthless exercises clouded the area. Amidst the thick crowd, a head of florid red hair stood out in contrast with its commanding presence, all others responding to him. The female-basketball she held under her arm suddenly felt cold and heavy. Taking a deep breath, she began to search for an elder gentlemen who would most likely be the coach.

"Can I help you, Miss?" a soft, almost melodic voice startled Hayami.

She turned around only to be eye-level with a T-shirt soaked with sweat, clinging to a chest. She looked upwards to who towered over her and met a gentle, comforting set of green eyes. His dark hair hung past his face and stuck to his pale cheeks. His eyes then averted to her side at the basketball she held, and he raised an eye brow.

"May I?" He asked and held his hand out.

Somewhat confused, she planted her basketball into his hands. He ran his fingers across its surface and tossed it up in the air a few times.

"Ooooh, so smooth." He said, and began spinning it on his finger. "So…I'm a bit confused. You can't be looking to join the boys team, for obvious reasons, as much as I'd love to have a little sister on the team…so, what _is it_ are you here for?"

He bounced the ball off his finger and Hayami caught it. She blushed awkwardly and stumbled clumsily over her words before she could properly start her sentence.

"I, um, well…um, ehhh…I'm…" She squeezed her eyes shut and could feel her face boil red with embarrassment. "I'm here to see Akashi-kun." She quickly blurted out, to get it over with.

"Ah, Sei-chan!" He happily replied. "Oh my, are you his girlfriend?!"

Her eyes shot open.

"What? N-no! I'm just…" Her surprised face turned downcast into a dejected look. "I… don't know what I am to him."

' _His mother's wish.'_ The words played aloud in her head and she tightened her grip on the basketball.

"But I am important to Akashi-kun! Though he may say otherwise…but trust me, I know I am" Hayami looked up at Akashi's teammate mischievously yet full of confidence.

He smirked back with a knowing smile as well.

"Well, ok then! I'll go let him know. Please, come inside. You can call me Reo-nee, by the way." He smiled and beckoned her to follow.

It was either everything she has got or nothing at all at this point. While walking, she purposely forced herself to not look around to avoid meeting the staring eyes she felt turning towards her. She couldn't blame them though, as she was a stranger randomly entering their gym after all. All of a sudden, she was engulfed in a dark shadow under an imposing presence. She turned to her side to see a humungous, dark-skinned player slowly walking backwards to receive a pass, totally oblivious to her presence. She nearly squeaked helplessly as he was about to crush her. Fortunately, before he could, Reo gave the huge guy a swift whack to the head.

"Watch it! You'll squish the poor girl!"

"Huh?" He turned around, confusion written in his dark blue eyes. "HUH!" He blushed in surprise when he finally saw Hayami.

"Oi, Reo-nee! Who's the girl?" An agile, blonde-haired player asked while rolling a basketball across his wing-spanned arms back-and-forth.

"Well, we're about to find out." Reo replied with devious excitement.

Just before he called out to Akashi, Hayami quickly waved him down to her and whispered something in his ear. Reo nodded with a grin.

"Sei-chan! There's a lovely young lady here who would love to meet your acquaintance!"

From across the court, Akashi's head noticeably perked up from amidst his concentration. Those words his teammate had just spoken…were the very words that introduced him to the girl who had awoken his other personality after a long slumber. He turned around and his eyes widened even further in surprise.

"Hayami?" He instinctively replied, shocking her by using her first name without a problem.

At long last, the two of them had finally met once again. However, the iridescent saffron eye that contrasted with the other reminded her from the depths of her heart how daunting the task ahead of her will truly be.

"Akashi-kun." She replied with a bow. "It's been a while, huh?"

His surprised look melted away and solidified into an intimidating sternness.

"What are you doing here?" He asked in as polite of a demanding tone he could muster.

Hayami took a deep breath, then held the basketball she brought out in front of her.

" **I'm here to challenge you to a one on one!** " She said it as defiantly as she could, getting straight to the point, and forsaking any care as to how she looked.

Gasps, stutters and murmurs filled the air following her declaration. Reo, Kotaro, and Eikichi looked at each other stunned. Everyone began to wonder who was this girl, what relationship did she have with their insuppressible captain, and just how amazing could she be at basketball? Akashi, however, simply looked…unimpressed.

"Hayami…" He spoke bluntly, still uncaring in his informal and rude way of referring to her. "…Is what you have in your hands now the first time you've ever held a basketball?"

"Uh, well, n-no. But—"

" **But nothing.** What did you seriously intend to accomplish through this miserable joke?"

' _Don't let him get to you!'_ she told herself.

"I needed to speak with you about something important! However, I was uncertain if you would give me the time of day. After all, _you are such a busy person_. So I decided to come and speak your language, Akashi-kun. And yes…" She clenched the basketball as hard as she could. "…That includes defeating you!"

"Ha!" Akashi let out a genuine chuckle of disbelief. "I single-handedly demolished Kouta and his team, and they were far from amateurs. And now you come here… _don't tell me_ …did your pitiful brother send his little sister to vent his rage, thinking I won't be as harsh on her?"

"No! I came of my own accord, and beating you in basketball was my idea! I WILL WIN, AKASHI-KUN! Just you wait and see."

In her head, she knew she was talking nonsense, but she could not allow herself to show any insecurity of even the smallest percentage. Akashi's mocking smile flattened out and his bi-colored eyes froze over with cold, calculating intent while he made his way toward her.

"Be careful, Hayami. Anyone who acts against me is never forgiven." He stopped walking when he was just a few steps away, but maintained his chilling glare. "Even if they are my parents."

"Oh really?" Hayami challenged. "Does that include your mother? Or, even better, ME? **Her** _ **dying wish**_ **?** "

The silence in the gymnasium was thick, almost deafening. No one even dared to breathe aloud. Hayami was terrified on the inside but mercilessly maintained her composure on the out. The frightening edge to Akashi's glare had diminished, but his expression betrayed no hints of emotional change.

"PRACTICE IS OVER! BEGIN CLEAN UP!" Akashi ordered his team. "Hayami, return here when we finish if you want to carry out this worthless endeavor of yours. I doubt the impact of your defeat will register to you, but so be it. It will be an utter waste of my time and I will not put aside my schedule for it. You will be the last thing I deal with for the day before I head home." Before she could reply, he walked off and assisted his team in returning equipment.

Hayami politely waited outside until the students began pouring out of the gymnasium. When the group finally thinned down to just a few people, she hopped up off a nearby bench and ran back to the doorway. The last of them to leave was Reo, who smiled when he saw her again.

"He's waiting inside."

"Thank you."

All at once, the multiple voices outside were silenced when Hayami shut the door behind her. Inside, Akashi stood at the center of the court, changed into casual clothes, with his arms crossed.

"You actually came?"

"Of course. I said I would."

He sighed louder than necessary and loosened his stance. She put her hair in a ponytail and stood before him, dribbling the ball. Akashi stared at her with the same uninterested and dissatisfied look he faced Gorou with. His eye brows furrowed as his thoughts silently crossed through his mind, a realization slowly dawning as Hayami stood there undecidedly. He smirked.

"I know what you're trying to do"

She kept a poker face to keep any expressible answers from showing themselves.

"You're trying to bring _him_ out again."

"Tch!" She reciprocated his sly smile. "Not much anyone can hide from you, is there?"

"Since I always win, I am always right. And I always win, because I am absolute"

In that moment, Akashi instantly closed the gap between them and was mere inches from Hayami's face.

" _ **He**_ **knows that more than anyone!** " He sneered in a whisper.

Startled and discombobulated by his sudden closeness, Hayami stumbled backwards while Akashi observed her reaction, as if he expected every misplaced step she fell back with. However, with mental immediacy, she recognized the opportunity at hand and seized it. Mustering all the necessary muscles into a painfully tight bundle, she exploded forward from the midst of her imbalanced faltering.

By the grace of miracles, she passed Akashi before even his fingertips could reach the ball. Still though, she refused to spare a second to look back and gauge his distance. She ran as fast as her dribbling allowed her to while switching hands every few bounces. The pounding of her feet and the echoing boom of the ball muffled the sounds of Akashi catching up, terrifying her even further as he could be a hair's width away unbeknownst to her. So when she felt confident enough, she skidded to a quick stop and, as she had practiced for two weeks straight, shot the ball hurriedly in one fluent move. A great sense of pride and equally great relief washed through her as she saw the ball swish cleanly through the hoop.

' _Yes, my first goal!'_ She cheered in her head. _'If the match continues on like this, then perhaps bringing Akashi-kun back won't be as hard as I thought!'_

She turned around with a grin big and bright enough to rival a child's atop a pile of birthday gifts. Unfortunately, she turned around only to understand that as soon as she passed Akashi, he simply stood there and watched her run. He never even chased her.

"Congratulations, Hayami." He gave her a mocking smile. "You made the one and only goal I'm going to let you make tonight."

"Huh?!" She exhaled sorely. _'BUT I WORKED SO HARD FOR THAT GOAL!'_ She screamed in her head.


	9. A New Wish

**Ch. 9- A New Wish**

Hayami stood in front of Akashi, strained with the acute high-level awareness spread over every fiber of her being. She felt the weight of her body pushing her feet into the soles of her shoes and the friction their rubber had on the court floor. She could feel the rough hollow ball as she pushed it back and forth between her palm and the ground. While visualizing the techniques she felt exercised into her muscles, she steadied her breathing to a pace that empowered both her focus and adrenaline. With strenuous concentration, she linked each of these elements together and synchronized them all into a state of pure reactive alertness. Even then, it was all just to create an uncertain chance to respond appropriately to her opponent. One who could see her future.

Again, by immediately gathering her strength in certain muscles, she attempted to blow by Akashi and sprint her way to the basket. Unfortunately, she understood how truly formidable the Emperor Eye was when she felt the ball pull out from under her hand as her momentum was irreversibly set. A few seconds to stop running, a few more seconds to regain her balance and an extra second or two to spin around could possibly give Akashi all the time he needed. Her fear was well founded, but once she had done all of these things….she faced the mocking reality that he wasn't actually trying.

Instead, he was taking his sweet time nonchalantly walking towards the basket, barely expending any energy. She made a bolt towards him and tried to swipe the ball mid-dribble, but her hand unexpectedly swung through the stillness of empty air. Seeing it in his other hand she ran in front of him to his left side, only for him to effortlessly cross the ball back right as soon as she got there. She ran out in front of him again as he walked, trying to get in his way, but he yet again crossed the ball back left and simply walked past her. He timed it with her running in front of him so it was as if she was darting out of his way each time. She felt like a small dog, running and jumping around its owner, being teased with a treat kept out of its reach.

She spun around just in time to see him score his first goal. He breathed out a light sigh and left the ball on the floor, returning to the center. This implied that if she wanted him to continue this game, she had to take the initiative and do the grunt work. As rude as it was, Hayami was in no position to argue or complain.

"Here, I'm going to stop you from passing me instead!" She tossed the ball to him and challenged.

She assumed a stance and watched him dribble exactly four times before the ball bounced between her legs and he passed her. He then jogged to the basket, remaining one step ahead as she chased him up until he scored his second goal and walked away again. Not even five minutes had passed since they started, and yet the pressure of facing the Captain of the Generation of Miracles had caught up. She was panting, visibly tired and could no longer maintain her pin-point focus. Adding insult to injury, Akashi was in no way enjoying their little game either. She knew that if she didn't do something soon, he was going to end it and cut her out of his life permanently.

"Akashi-kun, please!" She called out. "Basketball is your world, does my struggle in it strike nothing? Let my efforts reach you! Let my determination touch you! Remember your mothers wish! Look at me!"

Without hesitation, Akashi shot his 3rd goal.

"Something! Please, answer me!" She cried out.

"I had clearly told you this match would be a waste of our time. Now you're desperate and have resorted to pleading. I am unimpressed, Hayami…this is below my expectations. Stop trying to invoke the memories of my mother. You're foolish to think that I would allow an incidental lapse of consciousness to repeat itself. You aren't capitalizing on a weakness, you're holding onto a mistake you witnessed me make, _once,_ out of unpreparedness. It will not happen again."

She tightened her lips and squinted her eyes in frustration. She snatched up the ball from floor with an angry stomp and swore to herself that there will be no holds barred this time.

"Because you forgive no one who acts against you."

"Even my parents" He said as he blew right past her again, stealing the ball from her, and jogged towards the basket.

"Y'know what that sounds like to me, Akashi-kun? An unconscious form of rebellion… _against your father_."

Akashi never stopped before making his 4th score, but her words did capture his attention.

"Interesting. What is your theory?" He said with a tone of displeased curiosity.

"Your father was extremely strict, cold, and held high expectations of you, did he not? It's obvious your outlook and behavior are inherited, or learned, and he is most likely the model you've emulated. So when you say that no one, even your _parents_ , will be forgiven for acting against you…deep in your heart, you are really just channeling the merciless nature that was forced into you _onto your oppressor_."

Hayami began to raise her voice until she was shouting.

"Because you are frustrated, **you're upset** with how your father has raised you! It's to convince yourself that the highest authority figure in your life no longer has power over you! **That you are strong enough to defy him.** Subconsciously, it's a declaration you've created to liberate yourself from the restraints the VERY THOUGHT OF YOUR _**FATHER**_ **HOLDS ON YOU!** " She breathed heavily as she finished.

Akashi's eyes narrowed on her as he processed her words carefully. He remained unfazed as his mind worked its calculating magic.

"You have a brilliant mind, I will admit this, Hayami!" He complimented. "Unfortunately, your theory rests on two false presumptions. First, it is that I, as I am now, hold ill feelings towards my father for emphasizing the values of perfection, dominance and victory. Whether you, my other self, my deceased mother or anyone else likes it or not, it is these tenants that will give me exactly what I desire without aid or assistance. I lead others because my guidance brings out latent potential that would otherwise remain untapped…I do not lead out of necessity. Now, your second misunderstanding stems from projecting your own form of humanity onto me. Assuming that we share a similar nature at our core. So let me make this clear for you…"

Akashi walked up to Hayami and forced her to stare into the chilling emptiness of his bi-colored eyes, emanating a feeling like frosty daggers piercing slowly into her soul.

"When I say that no one will be forgiven, I do honestly mean….that if it came down to it, I will kill my father without moral qualms if he truly stood in my way."

Hayami's eyes stretched wide open and she reflexively stepped backward with a gasp. In this moment, she understood just how different, how cold and how ruthless, this "Akashi" actually was at his core.

"B-but th-th-that can't be true. It wouldn't make sense!"

"Exactly _what_ doesn't make sense?" He demanded to know.

"That even though you're an entirely different person, the feelings the real Akashi-kun has for me are still felt through you! _I think you're just saying all that stuff, without any real meaning!"_ She straightened her posture out with certainty once again. "You speak of being so unforgiving…yet, through our match, you have gone _preeetty_ easy on me! I mean, despite using your Emperor Eye _**the whole time**_ , you haven't once tried to ankle break me and knock me to the floor! You're signature move against anyone who stands in your way in basketball. _Why is that?_ Unless the thought of knocking the girl who means so much to you over is unbearable! And why do I mean so much to you?...Because I remind you of the most important person that was once in your life!"

For a moment, Akashi stood still and baffled.

"Emperor Eye?" He repeated, then proceeded to chuckle. "I haven't used it ONCE this whole time!"

His words struck her like a bat to the back.

"Wait, WHAT?" She was completely thrown off. _'Were my efforts, all this time, seriously_ _ **this**_ _ **futile**_ _against even the lowest of Akashi's skills?'_ She sulked silently.

Suddenly, a malefic smile split underneath his haunting eyes.

"Would you like to experience the Emperor Eye?"

Taking her look of surprise as consent, a set of subtle rings appeared deep in his eyes and the atmosphere immediately changed.

"Whoa…" She couldn't help but nervously squeak.

In that moment, this no longer was a game, no longer was it merely basketball. The way he watched her as he closed in was stronger than simple intimidation. An omnipresent stare fixated upon her with a pressure that paralyzed her senses with terror. She felt inescapably trapped, at his total mercy, and unable to do a single thing against it no matter how badly she wanted to. It genuinely frightened her.

" _Move_ " He commanded her.

Despite the shakiness she could barely contain, she looked at him with defiance and stiffened her position to block any advance he makes. He charged towards the side and she instantly cut in his path. For a second, she thought it was strange because she knew he could move much faster. Unfortunately, before the epiphany could kick in, all thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt. Akashi crossed the ball back over to the other side, forcing Hayami to try and catch up with his change of direction. This sudden shift in her balance was timed too perfectly though, she could feel her body unable to keep up with the action she forced it into.

"AH!" With a quick feminine shriek, she fell backwards helplessly and landed with a loud thud.

Her humiliation was immediate, but when he forsakenly passed by her, without a sliver of care for her well-being, after intentionally knocking her down…hurt her more than anything else. It felt no different than if he had just pushed her over with his own hands. The worst of all, however, was the emptiness of her failure that it drilled into her. Having done everything that she could only for it to amount to absolutely nothing.

The malice in his intent and the apathy on his face hadn't wavered even slightly since she had first walked in. She is just another victory of his to further confirm his superiority over the persona he had buried within himself. Once he wins, she will have lost her last and only chance to awaken Akashi. But she was helpless, left with nothing but to await the inevitable. She just sat there on the floor, with slight pain in her wrist, as the sound of Akashi dribbling further away broke her heart. In a matter of seconds, he was going to shoot his final goal, say something cruel, and she would never see him again.

' _I failed_ ' she affirmed in her mind, needlessly torturing herself.

Suddenly, the sound of dribbling stopped, prompting Hayami to turn and see the ball lifting over his head before the shot. She couldn't bear the sight of it and spun the other way. She squeezed her eyes shut, knowing that at any moment, she was going to hear the sound of defeat. That of the ball gently grazing the hoops fabric until it landed with a loud, deathly bang.

' _At any moment now.'_

' _Any moment…'_

…..

Silence.

It was as if time had stopped. The total lack of sound was unsettling.

 _'Is…This isn't another taunt, is it? Is he going to shoot as soon as I turn around?'_

Hayami thought this, but could not resist looking either. She turned slowly and cautiously. She scolded her heart for foolishly sparking with new hope. Yet, with how quickly he played to get their game over with, she couldn't make sense of why he'd take so long to make this _one last shot_.

 _'It can't be…'_ This was her last thought before she finally turned to face what awaited her.

A small gasp escaped her lips at what she saw. Akashi was facing the hoop, frozen still like a statue, with his arms over his head…

…and the ball resting in his hand.

A few more seconds slowly passed, each one an eternity of its own, before the careful descent of the ball pulled it out of sight. Hayami could hear her breathing deepen as Akashi turned around with a puzzled, even somewhat worried, look on his face. More importantly, he had a completely different feel to his aura. All traces of his domineering hostility had vanished like magic. His eyes patiently shifted from the ball in his hands, the emptiness of the gymnasium, and finally Hayami down on the floor. The look on his face each time reflecting which part of the situation he was taking in, as if he had suddenly snapped out of a trance. His eyes softened with concern when they finally made contact with hers.

"…Nakayo-san?" He nearly choked while saying her name, remorse and guilt seething deep in his voice.

Hayami's heart skipped a beat and her eyes clouded with tears. The disbelief of her success left her questioning every following moment, before she had to remind herself that now wasn't the time for such. She wiped her eyes dry with her arm and stood up.

"It's good to finally see you again… _Akashi-kun_ " She gave him a warm smile to welcome him back.

He returned with his own smile and began walking over to her. He stopped when they were just a few feet apart, and immediately bowed his head.

"I apologize sincerely for the way I… _**I**_ _…_ had acted, and for what _I_ had done. It was inexcusably shameful of me, and hardly worthy of forgiveness." He confessed.

Hayami could feel the pain sewn deep in his words. They made her think of an innocent man framed for a crime, and his reluctant assumption of the responsibility and consequences. Yet again, she could not muster any lasting anger against him. It was just like the night of the gala, except this time, she knew the truth.

"Akashi-kun, as far as I'm concerned… _ **you**_ had nothing to do with it. Argue contrarily all you want, but there is a distinction between the two of you that I'm unable to unify. And _you_ can't disprove a subjective point of view! So, hmph!"

His eyes shot open in surprise, then relaxed as he smiled to himself and lifted his head.

"I can't help but feel undeserving of your kindness."

As Akashi looked at Hayami, his confidence slowly revitalizing itself, she relished the feeling of gazing into his soft yet powerful eyes once again. Which reminded her…

"That Emperor Eye of yours though, it's quite the talent."

"Thanks" He blushed slightly with embarrassment, remembering what he had used it for just under a minute ago.

"However, it's not like you really can see the future, is it? If I had to put money on what it really is… I bet it's your superb observational skills and incredible speed, right?"

Akashi smiled with a playfully cocky grin and a chuckle in response.

"Wrong!" He teased her, then raised his hand to his face and pointed to his off-colored eye. "When I use the Emperor Eye, though my vision in my other eye diminishes slightly, in this one…it becomes exceptionally sharp. With minimal effort, I can see infinitesimal details in vivid, high-definition clarity. In the case of the human body, when interconnected muscular groups flex and contract, this eye unconsciously traces the path of the movement about to be performed. Like a phantom image showing me exactly what they are about to do. Not once, ever in my life, has it been wrong or off. You can even say…that my accuracy is absolute."

Hayami stood stunned.

' _Brains, brawn…He excels enormously in so many ways, and now this? Talk about an elite among prodigies'_. She grinned to herself. _'I knew it'd be worth it. I'm so happy that I was able to help free you from your personal prison. Now to give you a push to heights in this world that only you will be able to reach!_ '

"Nakayo-san?" Akashi snapped her out of her train of thought with the tilt of his head.

"A-A-Ah!" She stuttered. "I was j-just wondering…thinking about, how anyone could ever beat you with such a talent!"

His mischievous smirk caught her off guard. A basketball tossed into her hands at the blink of an eye threw her off even more.

"Why don't we find out?"

"Umm—I _don't_ think…" She nervously started, but the sound of Akashi's joyous laughter cut her mind off from everything else. To see someone as composed as him break out with such a hearty guffaw, she understood immediately, was a rare moment meant to be cherished.

"What I mean, Nakayo-san, is that why don't we start our match over."

"Huh?" She gasped in surprise, her eyes clouding over again with tears of happiness.

"I promise to go easy on you, as long as you promise to go all out on me." The squeak of his shoes echoed through the empty gymnasium as he took a defensive stance. "How about it?"

With the confident smirk of a challenger, she started dribbling the basketball and prepared to show Akashi the fruits of her crash-course training.

"You got it!" She yelled excitedly.

The game progressed in an unsurprising manner. Akashi was taking his time with Hayami, which hardly could be considered practice for him, and it was painstakingly obvious that every shot she made was allowed. However, they were not easy to make. As they played, Hayami slowly realized that Akashi was pushing the boundaries of her skills and making her earn each goal he let her score. Of course, he would follow up afterwards with a goal of his own to keep the score balanced between them, but it was all good fun.

She learned to use her peripheral vision to read his movements while watching the ball. He identified strong points both she and Kouta were unaware of. The closer to five points the two of them drew, the more Akashi would show off his skills for her. His dizzying dribbling and erratic changes in speed showed just how easy he had been going this whole time, even as his "other self". At long last, the two of them had tied at an even 4 against 4.

"And here we are, Nakayo-san. The deciding point of the match."

"The deciding point, eh?"

"From this, the true victor will be crowned."

"Oh my… Well then, no pressure on me huh." Hayami sarcastically retorted.

"Oi now, let's make this last round special."

"Uh—I don't I can handle… _special_."

"Hmm, are you sure? What if I'm so swayed by your determination that I have no choice but to let you score out of respect?"

"…And by that, you mean…?"

"You have to impress me" He smiled.

A memory suddenly flashed in her mind like a bolt of lightning, shining out through her eyes as sparkling excitement.

"I may have just the thing then! It's a move I invented, incorporating a bit of ballet." She tucked the ball under her arm and gave the same graceful bow she's done countless times before. "I call it…The Swans Stride."

"The _Swans Stride…_ " He slowly enunciated. "What an eloquent name. I'd love to see it."

Hayami began dribbling to finally commence the last round. She used a few feints and false 'trick moves' to lead Akashi on, having finally earned a fraction of the cards to be stacked in her favor. Once she used up all the false leads she could think of, she found herself unable to suppress a quick giggle. The way Akashi was watching her, cautiously and intently, she could feel she had him just where she wanted.

She prepared her foot for a pivot as she bounced the ball into her opposite hand. Following through with the momentum of her self-pass, she lunged herself into a mesmerizing twirl. Akashi watched in awe, feeling a gentle push press down upon his shoulders. It was as if his mother had placed her hands there to speak through his heart.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" His imagination brought her voice to life with eerie clarity.

He gasped softly when it happened, causing his heart to skip a beat. He lost sense of where he was and became hypnotically entranced. The smooth and flawless momentum of her spin, unwavering like a figurine inside an open music box, captivated him unlike anything he'd ever experienced.

' _Nakayo Hayami…indeed, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever—_ '

With the sound of the basketball smashing into the ground, Hayami had vanished. Behind him, he could hear her giggling as she dribbled away.

"Gotcha!" She shouted like playful child, not once taking her eyes off the hoop. Her heart sung out with joy at having successfully pulled off her trump card.

" **YOU** **BITCH**!" A violent boom reverberated through the empty gymnasium, followed by the rapid machine gunning of Akashi's feet as he sprinted towards her.

The difference in his vigor was frightening, terrifying even, but yet somehow… she expected this. Thus, she didn't waver. She kept forward on her own sprint, unwilling to let her fear hold her back. After all, she knew now she was no longer alone in this fight. And that, too, was the reason that she didn't hesitate for even a split second when the vicious sound of sprinting slowly came to halt just behind her.

' _Stop…_ '

The Original Akashi's voice was audible only to his other self, who had forced his way back into control. His body slightly seized in a standing position as his fists clenched, teeth gritted and eyes strained.

' _That's enough…_ '

His body let out a cough as it struggled between the two personalities fighting for dominance within its own psyche. His breathing became ragged before he snarled and gripped his arm violently, as if it was desperately trying to hold onto something tangible before slipping away into mental oblivion. That is, until the sound of his opponents footsteps had come to a stop. He looked up, only to catch the sight of Hayami making a pose that would undeniably lead to her winning shot. At that moment, Akashi's body relaxed. His panting had smoothed out and his hand let go of the brutal vice grip it held over its own body.

"You are no more"

He said aloud, drilling the final nail into the 2nd Akashi's coffin, to seal him away in the darkness of his own mind that he now could finally leave behind.

The ball soared up into the air and fell softly through the hoop. Hayami froze for a second after the ball dropped to the ground. Then, in as stark of a change as Akashi's personality switches, she pulled her arms into her chest, hunched over, and then exploded out in a burst of victorious excitement.

" **I WON!** I WON I WON I WON I WON!"

In spite of the great, life-altering experiences leading up to this moment, Akashi couldn't help but feel a little sting at the sight of his defeat. However, in response to it, the only thing he could do…

…Was laugh.

"Heh heh. Ha! AHAHAHAHAHA!" His chuckle grew into an exuberant roar, enough to break Hayami out of her own celebration.

"Akashi-kun?" She jogged over to him.

He breathed in deeply to settle himself down, faced her, and bowed with an unmistakable air of deep respect.

"Congratulation's, Nakayo-san." He raised his head and looked her straight in the eyes. Hayami felt her heart quiver and her breathing stop when she looked back into his own. "You have officially defeated the Captain of the Generation of Miracles."

Hayami couldn't even process his words at the moment. The sight of his eyes held an even greater significance within them.

' _They…_ _ **match**_ _in color now_.' She thought with wonder.

Hayami and Akashi sat a person's width apart from each other as they shared the same bench. A cool night breeze provided a refreshing relief against their sweaty skin. The moonlight shined down like a nocturnal sun and cast everything in sight in a unique shade best described as a nightly glow. The bench was placed next to a drinking fountain, so once they both had their full of water, they perched themselves into the seat and relaxed. More accurately, Hayami was the one relaxing while Akashi simply accompanied.

"…Nakayo-san" Without looking her way, he broke the silence between them with a poorly hidden hesitance.

"Hmm?" She tilted her head with a smile and softened eyes.

Her non-verbal reply forced him to face her, and her expression conveyed that it was just silly for him to be awkward with her at this point. He returned the smile, and hoped she couldn't see his eyes well up with water at her gesture.

"That last move you did earlier, your 'Swans Stride'…where exactly did you learn it?"

Hayami blushed, then proceeded to contradict herself when she turned her face away from him.

"Well…I didn't exactly _learn it_ from somewhere. I made it up." She began to trace circles into the ground with her feet. "The past two weeks…after your match with Onii-san, I mean…I've been practicing with him daily just to get the basics of basketball down. While doing so, I couldn't help but think it'd be pretty neat if I could mix some ballet into it. It sure made practice a whole lot more fun, I gotta admit!" She smiled to herself.

Akashi sat there with wide eyes.

"Wh…Nakayo-san…why? Why would you go through all of this…just for me?" He asked her, his tone was that of begging for an answer, but not because she was reluctant to give it. Rather instead, he was desperately curious why she, who he had met not long ago, would go so far to reach out to his extended hand that had been crying for help.

She stopped prodding into the ground with her feet, sat herself up and looked at Akashi. The truth was, she hadn't been fully aware of what had been pushing her to go through this totally herself. Yet, with the very goal she had worked towards now sitting before her, perhaps the answer which had alluded itself for so long could finally reveal itself.

"Well, for one, I promised myself that I would do everything I could to see _you_ again. But I realize now, that it was more than that. Somehow…I feel that…if your mother could see you now. No, more like, she's been watching you this whole time. She knows about everything that has happened, and is watching you even now, to this day. And because of that, she has a _new wish_. So I guess, since I'm her other wish, as you put it…I was the vessel…or the means, for her new wish to come true."

"A new wish huh?" Akashi asked, partially captivated by her theory. "So then, what do you think this new wish may be?" He asked this, but didn't expect much from her answer.

As sweet of a theory it may be, once it bridged into the supernatural, he couldn't help but take it with a grain of salt. _'Most likely, I'd figure this is the result of her kind but determined nature. She must have been unable to sit back once learning about my secret struggle.'_

"So then, what do you think this _new wish_ may be?" He asked, partly curious and partly humoring her.

Meanwhile, however, Hayami was enduring a providential epiphany. Her own words triggered all her memories from the night of the gala up until now to flash through her mind and connect, finally making sense. As if Akashi's mother was truly there in spirit right then, doing her best to speak through Hayami and break through her son's stubborn logic. Without a thought in mind, she acted purely on feeling and placed her hand on Akashi's, holding it tightly, while meeting his surprised look with a motherly smile. When she finally answered his question, she gazed deep into his eyes, as the words moved her mouth on their own like a message from the beyond.

"To help her bring her son back."

The reaction on his face was akin to having witnessed a resurrection.

"O-oh" He stuttered, eyes wide with disbelief, until his gaze had shifted away from hers and he was immediately lost in thought. "I…see"

His lips straightened out in a firm line for a second, before the corners of his mouth curved downwards. It wasn't exactly a frown, but from the way his eyes uncontrollably welled up with water as his eyebrows crumpled, it was an obvious attempt at holding back the urge to burst into tears. And understandably so, for Hayami's words were something that his mother truly would have wished.

Then, as if to answer his long-forgotten prayers from the years ago when she passed away, Hayami had wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head into her bosom. Not in a seductive or sexual way, because it was an undeniably maternal gesture. As she held him like this, she spoke into his ear, softly, and in a voice that not even she herself was sure, to this day, was truly her own.

"It's okay…Seijuuro."

That was it. Akashi's face contorted into an unfamiliar shape as he cried like he never has before. Away from the oppression of his father, within the embrace of a beautiful woman who rescued him from his darkness within, and with the spirit of his mother making her presence known. Akashi's tears carried the weight of all the emotions he had forgotten how to feel. The sadness, grief, longing…his cries only grew stronger and stronger as Hayami embraced him, accepting everything he had to reveal in this most vulnerable moment of his. She only hugged him tighter in response, as her eyes became wet with her own tears.

"Nakayo-san…thank you! Thank you so much! Oh my gosh, thank you!" He managed to squeeze out between sobs.

She could only nod in reply with a soft hum as the wetness in her eyes spilled down her face like his. The two teens sat on that lone bench under the nightly shine of the moonlight while the stars above twinkled happily. Like the spirits of the past shedding their own touching tears of joy at the scene unfolding on the Earth below them.


End file.
